It looks like it triples (3X) the amount of vitamin D in the blood by reducing the metabolism of vitamin D. Atorvastatin and Rosuvastatin have this effect. Fluvastatin does not.
Compared with that at baseline, atorvastatin at 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mol/l induced 76.2%, 105.8% and 161.9% increase in SR-BI mRNA levels (p < 0.01), respectively. Therefore, our initial hypothesis that rosuvastatin may be increasing vitamin D levels by interfering with the metabolism of vitamin D, may be an inadequate explanation. We propose that some statins may be increasing the absorption of vitamin D by stimulating the expressions of cholesterol transporters. This effect, which was shown with atorvastatin, can be studied with rosuvastatin, and may open up a horizon to explain the link between statins and vitamin D.
Yes, I am cutting back my 10,000 IUs of daily D3 to 5,000 IUs. I was deficient before starting the statin so I needed to take a high dose. Now, I probably will be fine with 5,000 IUs (or less). Time for another vitamin D blood test!
Effect of statins on serum vitamin D concentrations: a systematic review and meta-analysis 2017: “This meta-analysis was inconclusive on the effects of statins on vitamin D, with conflicting directions of the effects from interventional and observational studies. The suggested favourable effects from RCTs need to be confirmed in larger studies with extended follow-up in order to determine the possible health benefits.”
Conclusion: statins have no effect on vitamin D levels.
Interesting study. I’ve checked the one I’m taking, pravastatin and it seems it doesn’t affect Vit-D. Switched to this one many years ago as it has fewer muscle side effects at the low dose I take.
Seems to be a lipophilic effect
From the AI thingy…
No, pravastatin does not appear to affect vitamin D levels:
A study of 14 patients with hypercholesterolemia found no significant changes in vitamin D metabolites after taking pravastatin for eight weeks.
Another study found that pravastatin did not alter vitamin D synthesis in the skin of patients with hypercholesterolemia after up to three months of treatment.
A third study found that pravastatin did not affect vitamin D production in patients who took 10–80 mg of pravastatin daily for three months while also being exposed to ultraviolet B light.
However, it’s difficult to determine how statins affect vitamin D levels, and vice versa. Different statins may affect vitamin D concentrations differently. For example, more lipophilic statins like simvastatin and lovastatin can increase vitamin D metabolites, while less lipophilic statins like pravastatin do not improve vitamin D