Statins reduce libido

This paper was published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2004 Sep;58(3):326-8

 

Study title and authors:

Is decreased libido associated with the use of HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors?

de Graaf L, Brouwers AH, Diemont WL.

Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb, Goudsbloemvallei 7, 5237 MH 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands. l.degraaf@lareb.nl

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15327593

The aim of the paper was to describe patients with decreased libido during use of statins, and to propose a hypothesis for this association. The paper discusses eight patients who had decreased libido during use of statins.

Testosterone levels were measured in two of the patients and were found to be decreased during statin treatment. The patients discountinued their statin treatment and their libido returned to normal.

The relationship between libido, cholesterol and statins:
(i) Libido is related to serum testosterone levels: lower testosterone levels decrease male libido.
(ii) Cholesterol is necessary for the synthesis of testosterone.
(iii) Statins lower cholesterol.

The reports of the patients and the suggested explanation generate the hypothesis that decreased libido may be associated with the use of statins.