The Drug You Shouldn’t Take If You Exercise

If you exercise to improve your health and fitness, researchers have identified a commonly prescribed drug that negates your exercise benefits. This drug, taken by 25 percent of people over the age of 45, interferes with muscle development and actually blocks your ability to become more physically fit.

University of Missouri researchers found that statins, prescription drugs that are supposed to lower cholesterol and protect against heart problems, impedes the positive effects of exercise.

“Fitness has proven to be the most significant predictor of longevity and health because it protects people from a variety of chronic diseases,” says researcher John Thyfault. “Daily physical activity is needed to maintain or improve fitness, and thus improve health outcomes. However, if patients start exercising and taking statins at the same time, it seems that statins block the ability of exercise to improve their fitness levels.”

In this study, people who took statins and exercised could increase their cardio-fitness by only about 1.5 percent compared to 10 percent in a non-statin group. The researchers also found that the statins decreased the mitochondria in their muscles by more than 4 percent. Mitochondria are the cellular structures that create energy for muscle movement.