However, this seemingly flawless reputation has been called into question.

A new expert review suggests that long-term use of statins may be inadvertently aiding the enemy by accelerating coronary artery calcification instead of providing protection.

Statins Deplete Heart-Protecting Nutrients 

The review, published in Clinical Pharmacology, suggests statins may act as "mitochondrial toxins," impairing muscle function in the heart and blood vessels by depleting coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant cells use for growth and maintenance. Multiple studies show statins inhibit CoQ10 synthesis, leading many patients to supplement.

CoQ10 is vital for producing ATP, the cell's fundamental energy carrier. Insufficient CoQ10 inhibits ATP production, resulting in an energy deficit that the review authors say "could be a major cause for heart muscle and coronary artery damage.

"We believe that many years of statin drug therapy result in the gradual accumulation of mitochondrial DNA damage," according to the authors.

A 2022 study published in Biophysical Journal linked reduced ATP to heart failure.

A 2008 study published in BioFactors reaffirms the statin–CoQ10 link. Researchers evaluated 50 statin patients for side effects like fatigue and muscle pain. All then stopped statins and supplemented CoQ10 for 22 months on average.

Heart function improved or held steady for the majority of patients. The researchers conclude statin side effects, including statin cardiomyopathy, "are far more common than previously published and are reversible with the combination of statin discontinuation and supplemental CoQ10."

Statins Deplete Vitamin K, Raising Heart Calcification Risk

Statins impair the production of vitamin K, an essential vitamin in managing calcification, according to the review. Optimal vitamin K2 intake helps avoid plaque buildup of atherosclerosis—thickening or hardening of the arteries—and keeps calcification risk low.