What to Know About Statins and Side Effects

New evidence suggests many common concerns are not linked to the cholesterol-lowering drug

Michael Schroeder,

Updated May 01, 2026

AARP

Comments

En español

Updated May 01, 2026

Box of statin drugs against a background of an EKG and cholesterol panel..

Getty Images

Key takeaways

Statins are a common medication prescribed to lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels.
A large review found no evidence that statins cause many of the side effects listed on their labels.
Experts say that people with high cholesterol shouldn’t avoid statins for fear of side effects and that if you have concerns, talk to your doctor.

An estimated 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. have high levels of LDL cholesterol — the so-called bad cholesterol that raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. And for decades, statins have been the go-to medication for lowering it.

“It’s our most well-studied class of medications ever,” says Dr. Kent Brummel, a general and preventive cardiologist in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Michigan. “And it is a useful medication that reduces risks of heart attack, stroke and death.”

In fact, recently updated guidelines from nearly a dozen medical groups recommend that people with high cholesterol start cholesterol-lowering medication, like statin therapy, sooner than previously prescribed, to lower the risk of cardiovascular problems later in life.

But many people who are eligible for statins don’t take them, research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows — or they stop taking them soon after starting, other studies find. Some experts say a long list of potential side effects linked to statins may be to blame.

New study digs into statin side effects

New research, however, suggests that many of the side effects linked to statins are overblown or unfounded.

A recent meta-analysis of 23 large-scale randomized studies involving 154,664 participants found no evidence that taking statins caused 62 out of 66 side effects listed on product labels, such as cognitive impairment, liver disease, depression, sleep problems, erectile dysfunction, nausea, fatigue and many other conditions.

The results of the study, published Feb. 14 in The Lancet, led the researchers to suggest statin drug leaflets and package labeling be revised to greatly reduce the listed side effects so as not to scare patients away from taking the medication when prescribed.

Here’s a closer look at side effects that have been linked to statins — and what the latest research shows.

What to know about statins and dementia risk

Researchers work hard to separate coincidence from cause. So while some people who take statins develop dementia, the latest research suggests there’s no indication the drug causes it. In The Lancet meta-analysis, the risk of cognitive impairment was the same whether a person took a statin or not.

“I think that’s the biggest thing that I would love to see taken off the product label,” Brummel says. “Because so many patients come to me and they’re worried about taking a statin because of this noted risk of dementia.”

Dr. Robert Rosenson, director of metabolism and lipids for the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, says not only is there no evidence that statins increase dementia risk but “the opposite is the case.” Several studies have uncovered the link between cardiovascular health and brain health.

Rosenson points out that statins lower the risk of cardiovascular issues like stroke, which can increase a person’s risk of dementia. What’s more, research has linked high cholesterol levels with amyloid plaques in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

One caveat, he notes, is that some patients on statins report “brain fog,” a term often used to describe anything from cognitive impairment to confusion, or something more.

“These events may also be related to other factors such as sleep deprivation, stress or an early sign of [an underlying brain condition],” Rosenson says. “A discussion with the physician and formal cognitive testing may be warranted in these situations.”

What to know about statins and muscle aches

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that many of those who discontinued statins believed statins caused muscle aches (myalgia). But other research suggests that for most people who report muscle pain while on statins, the drug isn’t the cause and the symptoms appear to be related to something else.

If muscle pain or weakness occurs, consider what else might be driving it, Rosenson says. For example, did it happen after vigorous exercise or carrying something heavy? Was it a one-time event, or do you experience similar symptoms each time you take a statin?

If the symptoms persist, talk to your health care provider, who may temporarily stop your statin. “If symptoms do not resolve within two weeks, or at most 12 weeks, the cause would be unrelated to the medication,” Rosenson says.

If you find that the medication was causing the muscle aches, your doctor might try a lower dose or switch you to a different statin. “Failure to tolerate three statins defines true statin muscle intolerance,” Rosenson says.

For those who can’t take statins, experts recommend discussing other cholesterol-lowering medication options with your doctor.

What to know about statins and diabetes risk

A research review, published in 2024 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, found that taking a statin led to a small increase in blood sugar levels, depending on the intensity of the statin therapy. The review also found that people who take statins and already have blood sugar levels that put them at high risk for diabetes may develop the condition sooner.

Brummel explains that cholesterol-lowering medications may affect how the pancreas works. The pancreas is responsible for making insulin, which helps control blood sugar.

This is a side effect Brummel talks to patients about, along with muscle aches, pain or weakness and potential liver function abnormalities — another known side effect. Still, a small increase in blood sugar levels typically won’t end the conversation on statins, given their benefits, he and other experts say.

“The cardiovascular benefit overwhelms the increased [risk] in diabetes,” Rosenson says.

What to know about statins and sexual side effects

Another association the latest Lancet meta-analysis evaluated is whether statins cause sexual issues like erectile dysfunction, which previous studies have linked to the medication.

The researchers determined that statins did not cause erectile dysfunction or other sexual dysfunction. They also found no significant increase in sexual dysfunction in studies comparing participants who took statins to those taking a placebo.

To Brummel, it doesn’t make sense that statins would be associated with this symptom. “If you don’t have good blood flow, it makes it harder to get an erection,” he says. Lowering your cholesterol can lower your risk of blood-flow problems, he adds, and may even improve blood flow.

The importance of talking to your doctor

Experts say you shouldn’t avoid statins for fear of unproven side effects. But they also say it’s important to talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about starting a statin — or any changes you notice while taking one.

“Every person is different, and while I don’t think the [statin] warning label needs to be as expansive as it is, I do choose to believe my patients when they say something isn’t right about our treatment plan,” Brummel says.

Alternatives to statins

There are cholesterol-lowering options for patients who can’t tolerate statins, including:

Ezetimibe: This once-a-day pill “stops your body from absorbing cholesterol from the intestines,” Brummel says.
Bempedoic acid: Also a once-a-day pill, this medication prevents the body from making cholesterol, similar to statins, Brummel says. “But it’s a prodrug, meaning it’s inactive in the bloodstream; it’s active in the liver,” he adds. “And that change seems to have helped people avoid the muscle and joint aches pretty significantly.”
PCSK9 inhibitors: They inhibit the breakdown of a receptor on the liver that takes cholesterol out of the bloodstream. These powerful medications are given as injections.

%{postComment}%

Michael Schroeder is a freelance health writer and editor who's covered everything from chronic disease and mental health to medication side effects. His stories have been published in a range of print and digital publications, including Time, U.S. News & World Report, The Washington Post, and Psychology Today.