Vitamin D doesn’t prevent statin-associated muscle symptoms

Vitamin D does not prevent statin-associated muscle symptoms or discontinuation of statin therapy, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology.

In this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, participants initiated statin therapy with either vitamin D (n = 1033) or placebo (n = 1050). The mean (SD) age of participants was 66.8 (6.2) years and 49% were women. Participants were followed for 4.8 years.

Overall, 31% of participants receiving vitamin D and 31% of those receiving placebo reported statin-associated muscle symptoms with 13% of participants in each overall group discontinuing statin use.

Results were consistent across pretreatment 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. In the vitamin D–assigned group and the placebo-assigned group, 33% and 35% of participants with levels <20 ng/mL reported statin-associated muscle symptoms, respectively. In participants with levels <30 ng/ml, 27% and 30% reported statin-associated muscle symptoms, respectively.

Reference
Hlatky MA, Gonzalez PE, Manson JE, et al. Statin-Associated Muscle Symptoms Among New Statin Users Randomly Assigned to Vitamin D or Placebo. JAMA Cardiol. 2022;doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2022.4250