Muscle weakness with statins deserves a black-box warning

Two correspondents – in WDDTY vol 12 no 11 and vol 13 no 3 – reported muscle weakness after taking simvastatin. Statins block the body’s synthesis of coenzyme Q10, possibly causing the myopathy. Dr Julian Whitaker, a US physician interested in nutritional treatments, has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to require a warning insert on all statin drugs that supplemental coenzyme Q10 may be necessary when taking these drugs. – Jerome McGlynn, Philadelphia, USA