Premium
Statins depress total body fat oxidation in spite of absent genetic limitations
Author(s) -
Pendergast David Robert,
Fisher Nadine M,
Meksawan Kulwara,
Vladutiu Georgirene D
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.5.a1449-b
Subject(s) - medicine , statin , endocrinology , cholesterol
Cholesterol lowering drugs, including statins, are not tolerated by some (1–7%) who develop myopathic symptoms and stop statin therapy. This study tested if total body fat oxidation (TBFO) is reduced by statins, while genetic predisposition for FO assessed by white blood cell FO was not limiting. Seven patients on statin therapy without myopathic side effects (control; SCG) and 7 patients off statins due to statin‐induced myopathic symptoms (statin; STG) (58 ± 8.25 yrs, 169 ± 11 cm, 75.4 ± 14.2 kg) were tested for substrate utilization (Respiratory Exchange Ratio, RER) at rest and exercise and FO. Strength and endurance were not different between the two groups. RER at rest (0.74 ± 0.06 vs. 0.83 ± 0.05) and the increase with exercise (0.118 ± 0.04 vs. 0.134 ± 0.04; RER/l/minVO 2 ) were significantly lower in SCG than STG subjects. The SCG had lower VO 2 values at RER = 1.0 (1.22 ± 0.32 vs. 2.03 ± 0.47 l/min) and higher post‐exercise lactate (2.59 ± 2.15 vs. 1.42 ± 0.38 mM) than the STG. FO was not significantly different between SCG and STG (0.27 ± 0.07 vs. 0.29 ± 0.06 nmol/h per 10 9 wbc), or from normal (0.27 ± 0.09 nmol/h per 10 9 wbc). Statin therapy did not significantly affect muscle function; TBFO was inhibited in spite of normal fat oxidation in wbc. The effect of depressed TBFO on exercise tolerance, as well as the potential depression of carbohydrate oxidation in SCG needs investigation. (Funded in part by MDA).