title: Short-term cessation of statin therapy does not alter aerobic exercise performance in physically active middle-aged adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physically active adults may be especially vulnerable to the adverse muscular side effects of statins. We determined if short-term cessation of statin therapy would improve aerobic exercise performance in middle-aged adults engaged in regular aerobic exercise training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physically active middle-aged adults on statin therapy ≥6 mo (n = 16; 58 ± 10 y) or not taking lipid-lowering medications (controls) (n = 19; 51 ± 9 y) completed a peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and time to exhaustion test on a cycle ergometer 2-7 d apart. Tests were repeated following 1 mo of statin cessation or a 1 mo period for controls. Questionnaires were administered to assess exercise history and muscle complaints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statin users reported little or no muscle complaints and participation in aerobic exercise was similar between groups (p≥0.13). The lower VO2peak (37.3 ± 9.0 vs. 43.1 ± 4.9 ml/kg/min; p = 0.02) and time to exhaustion (21.9 ± 4.4 vs. 26.0 ± 6.3 min; p = 0.04) in statin users versus controls did not persist after controlling for age (p≥0.08). Aerobic exercise performance did not change with 1 mo of statin cessation (p≥0.54). No changes were observed in controls when tests were repeated 1 mo later (p≥0.38).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term cessation of statin therapy does not alter maximal aerobic capacity or aerobic endurance in physically active middle-aged adults with few or no statin muscle complaints.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Kinesiology & Health , Miami University , Oxford , OH , USA.|b Department of Cardiology , Hartford Hospital , Hartford , CT , USA.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Ballard
authors.affiliation: c Exercise Science & Sports Studies Department , Springfield College , Springfield , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Sara M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.affiliation: b Department of Cardiology , Hartford Hospital , Hartford , CT , USA.|d Department of Kinesiology , University of Connecticut , Storrs , CT , USA.
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: b Department of Cardiology , Hartford Hospital , Hartford , CT , USA.
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D028761:Withholding Treatment
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
keywords: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors; aerobic endurance; endurance exercise; maximal aerobic capacity; physical activity