Statins and Libido

[HankJo]

Any guys out there who take statins (like lipitor, zocor,crestor) and have found that their libido or the quality of their erections have suffered. I've read that these drugs can lower testosterone levels and am curious about anecdotal stories.

 

[Freddie53]

Yep. But I didn't know what was causing it. Erections will sometimes just go away leaving me feel cheated to say the least. I was wondering about testosterone levels. I'll get that checked out and soon.

 

[sykray]

I hadn't noticed any change in my libido but I also take antihypertensives which do impair my erectile functioning.

 

[ToBe]

The body uses cholesterol to make testosterone. If cholesterol levels are reduced too much, then testosterone may fall... but, I'm not sure if this has been studied enough to say if the drop is significant.

 

[ManchesterTom]

I think the Lipitor is doing bad things to me as well. Not just lessening of libido, but also I have some soreness in fingers and toes as well as numb feet and hands.

What is the alternative to taking Statins. I have tried the low fat diet and my Cholesterol levels continue to climb as soon as I am off medication.

 

[HankJo]

You should talke to your doctor about Niaspan; it brings down the bad LDL cholesterol and drives up the good HDL cholesterol. Might be able to lower the dosage of the Lipitor or get off the Lipitor completely depending on how high your cholesterol is.

 

[FuzzyKen]

Both the other half and I were prescribed Statins. The other half developed back and shoulder pain that was severe. Stop the statins, the pain goes away in about 72 hours. Start the statins the pain returns in again in a few days. I was already having ED problems, but statins made it far worse. The new drug on the block is these drugs. I am beginning to wonder if these drugs are actually safe. Both of us had problems with them. I have tried some other things and though my cholesterol is still high, it is down quite a bit from what it was. The other thing is to track your families cholesterol record. My cholesterol was about 195-215 when I was 14 years old. My Mother had cholesterol levels that were very high and this was before statins made their appearance. Yes, she did have cardiac problems in the end, but there were so many other problems that contributed, I do not think that the cholesterol was the deciding factor in her death.

There are some things that will drop cholesterol and many can be found on the net.

If you have trouble with a medication and it does more harm than good, I think that it is time for a great old conversation with the MD in question.

Hey HankJo I am in New Mexico too. Where are you........

Just plain over the counter Niacin will make a significant drop in the cholesterol levels of some individuals. Do some research and see if there are other things, and have your MD monitor things to see what can be done without the statins. Niaspan is simply a long acting version of Niacin at a far higher price.

 

[clav2]

Now I'm intrigued. As per an earlier post, I'm 55yo, diabetic, a bit overweight, and on just about every med under the sun: insulin, metformin, enalapril, simvustatin, Acimax, a little bit of paroxetine, slow release paracetamol, and tadalafil. (I rattle a little when I walk!)

I've had diabetes for about 18 years now, since I gave up smoking and piled on 40lb in six weeks (!). ED showed up about 10 years later, so the doc put me on sildenafil (V), then tadalafil (C), but first tested my testosterone levels and found they were a little bit down. I'd been on the statin for about 7 years by then, but he never mentioned that my testosterone levels could be affected. This might explain a whole bunch of stuff.

Given that the C is costing me the best part of $300 a month (I'm on an alternate day dose), maybe I should try dropping the statin and see if I need less C (or better still, if it might be more effective!). Instead of the statin, I understand grapefruit juice and bran cereal will lower cholesterol.

Any thoughts?

 

[Freddie53]

There are some things that will drop cholesterol and many can be found on the net.

If you have trouble with a medication and it does more harm than good, I think that it is time for a great old conversation with the MD in question.



Just plain over the counter Niacin will make a significant drop in the cholesterol levels of some individuals. Do some research and see if there are other things, and have your MD monitor things to see what can be done without the statins. Niaspan is simply a long acting version of Niacin at a far higher price.

Niaspan is very expensive. At Wal Mart you can get generic long acting Niacin. My doctor has me on 2000 mg. of Niacin a day. I take two 500 mg. in the morning and two 500 mg in the evening. Both with meals.

Niacin raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. Eating bran, especially Fiber One, does help lower the bad cholesterol.

Use Olive Oil and Canola oil instead of the cheaper oils for cooking. Watch labels. Stay away from trans fatty acids Those are artificial fats made with a hydrogen atom to make the oil turn into the consistency of real butter.

The equivalent of two mile walk at least three times a week. Get weight down if you are overweight.

Blueberries, strawberries etc aalso help with cholesterol. Peanut butter in moderation seems to help. Lots of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are great. Grill or bake instead of fry meats. Eat more fish and poultry and less beef.

All the above will help. Some people though just make cholesterol. Statins are about the only way to bring their bad cholesterol down.