Scientists explain statin muscle pain
3 days ago
- #cholesterol
- #muscle-pain
- #statins
- Scientists identified the molecular trigger behind statin-related muscle pain.
- Statins cause a toxic calcium leak by jamming open the ryanodine receptor (RyR1) protein in muscle cells.
- The discovery was made using cryo-electron microscopy, revealing how statins bind to RyR1.
- Three statin molecules cluster together to force the RyR1 channel into an open position, leading to calcium leakage.
- The findings could lead to the development of safer statins that avoid muscle damage while maintaining cholesterol-lowering benefits.
- Muscle pain and weakness are common side effects that cause many patients to discontinue statin use.
- The study focused on atorvastatin but the mechanism may apply to other statins.
- Advanced imaging techniques like cryo-electron microscopy are driving breakthroughs in medical research.
- The goal is to improve statin safety, reducing side effects and improving patient adherence to treatment.