‘Nocebo Effect’ May Be Why People Think Statins Cause Muscle Pain

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• A new report has found that people who take statins had no differences in muscle symptoms than people who didn’t take statins.
• There may be a strong “nocebo effect” — people expect to experience muscle pain, and then because of that, they begin to experience muscle pain.
• More research is needed to understand the root cause.

A new study from the United Kingdom found that statins don’t cause muscle pain — a common misconception that has led many heart patients to stop taking their medications.

The report, published in The BMJ on Feb. 24, found that people who take statins had no differences in muscle symptoms — like pain, weakness, cramps, or stiffness — than people who didn’t take statins.

It’s unclear what’s causing the muscle pain, but researchers suspect it could be connected to people’s age and underlying health conditions. There may also be a strong “nocebo effect” — people expect to experience muscle pain, and then because of that, experience it.

More research is needed to understand the root cause, but researchers say the evidence strongly suggests statins are not behind the aches and pains.