Can You Drink Alcohol On Statins?

Millions of Brits are taking statins every year, with many also drinking alcohol, but is it safe to do so?

Join us as we explain how to safely drink alcohol on statins, and highlight key factors that are important to consider as you make this decision.

If you’re struggling to give up alcohol, related or unrelated to statins, we’re here for you. Our helpline is open 24/7 for treatment enquiries, and that includes initial enquiries from people who aren’t yet sure if they’re ready to get help.

Whatever your situation, we’d love to support you, on 0800 111 4108 (UK) or +44 345 222 3509 (international).

What are Statins?

Statins are medicines that lower cholesterol (a fatty substance in blood). They’re also preventative, so they can lower the risk of future health conditions that are exacerbated or caused by high cholesterol.

Statins help prevent:

• Coronary heart disease
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Angina

Although high levels of cholesterol can damage the body, some cholesterol is essential for survival. It’s used to build healthy cells and produce hormones.

There are two types of cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

When we talk about “bad” cholesterol, we’re usually referring to low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Too much LDL can cause a build-up inside blood vessels and create plaque in the arteries.

Plaque narrows blood vessels and restricts blood flow, which is what increases the risk of coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack, and stroke.

HDL, on the other hand, carries excess cholesterol back to the liver, allowing the liver to remove it. For this reason, it’s known as “good” cholesterol.

When you take statins, it’s your LDL cholesterol that’s being targeted, as that’s the main health risk. Sometimes, statins can also cause a slight increase in HDL levels, which lowers health risks even further.

7-8 million adults in the UK are taking statins (1). This includes:

• Atorvastatin
• Rosuvastatin
• Fluvastatin
• Simvastatin
• Pravastatin

Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Statins?

If you drink alcohol while taking statins, the risk of a dangerous interaction is extremely low.

However, there are secondary risks that are very important to consider.

Drinking alcohol excessively poses a serious threat to your liver, and it’s your liver that processes statins. If you drink in harmful ways, you may be reducing the long-term efficacy of statins.

More specifically, alcohol can cause, or worsen, things like high blood pressure and weight gain. While statins still work on people regardless, they may not bring as many benefits when the individual is dealing with elevated blood pressure and excess weight.

Alcohol also increases the risk of developing side effects relating to statins.

Statins don’t always cause side effects, but when they do, the effects tend to mirror symptoms of heavy alcohol use. This includes: nausea, headaches, dizziness, digestive issues, and fatigue.

The user can experience these symptoms more intensely when they’re stemming from both alcohol and statins, especially if they’re sensitive to one or the other.

People with previous or existing liver damage, including those with hepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease, fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, must take particular care.

Only medical professionals can determine whether it’s safe and effective to take statins in these circumstances.

Do Statins and Alcohol Cause Liver Damage Together?

For the average person, drinking moderately while taking statins won’t cause liver damage. The risks are linked to heavy or long-term drinking.

This type of drinking is harmful regardless, and can lead to liver damage. When statins are also involved, there’s a greater risk of strain on the liver, especially if there are existing liver problems.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Liver?

To get a good idea of how alcohol affects the liver, let’s explore various functions of the liver, and find out how excessive drinking can harm each one.

1. Making cholesterol

The liver (along with the intestines) produces around 80% of the cholesterol you need to stay healthy (2).

As we now know, cholesterol’s role is to build cells and produce important hormones. When someone is drinking excessively, the liver struggles to regulate cholesterol, which can lead to dangerous cholesterol levels.

2. Storing energy

The liver takes carbohydrates and stores them in the form of glycogen, which is a reliable energy store for us, and can be released when needed.

Drinking harmfully can hinder this process, leading to inefficient energy stores, and unhealthy blood sugar levels.

3. Cleaning the blood

One of the liver’s primary functions is removing toxins from the blood, as well as processing nutrient-rich blood to ensure it can be used effectively.

Alcohol is one of the toxins the liver breaks down. However, if the liver is damaged by alcohol, it may not be able to cleanse the blood successfully.

4. Making clotting factors

The liver makes clotting factors and anticoagulant proteins, helping to control bleeding and promote smooth blood flow.

An alcohol-damaged liver isn’t able to produce these factors and proteins as effectively, which can lead to excessive bruising and bleeding.

5. Metabolising drugs

Another key role of the liver is to process medications. It does this by chemically altering substances so that they’re in the right state to be removed by the kidneys or digestive system.

When you take statins, or drink alcohol, this is the process the liver carries out. However, too much alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of metabolization, making statins less effective.

6. Supporting overall health

The liver is extremely important for our overall health, including our digestion (the liver produces bile), our access to vitamins and minerals, and our ability to fight infection.

A liver that’s been damaged by alcohol can’t carry out any of these functions to the best of its ability. In some cases, this can lead to serious liver conditions such as liver disease, cirrhosis, and alcoholic hepatitis.

Can Alcohol Raise Cholesterol Levels?

Generally, drinking alcohol won’t raise your cholesterol levels.

However, alcohol is converted into cholesterol and triglycerides when it’s processed by the liver, which can lead to a fatty liver that struggles to cleanse cholesterol from the blood. In that sense, heavy alcohol use can indirectly raise cholesterol levels.

Another indirect contribution is through excess calories, which lead to weight gain. When you’re carrying excess weight, you’re generally dealing with higher LDL levels and lower HDL levels, as well as inflammation, which puts strain on the liver.

How Much Alcohol Can I Safely Drink When Taking Statins?

Moderate drinking comes with very low risks in terms of the effect on statins.

Everyone has a different idea of what’s considered moderate drinking, excessive drinking etc, but you can rely on UK guidelines to keep yourself safe.

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Low Risk Drinking Guidelines inform us that safe drinking involves:

• Drinking no more than 14 units a week on a regular basis
• Spreading your drinking evenly over 3+ days
• Having several drink-free days each week

According to these guidelines, the more you drink on a regular basis, the higher your risk of developing a range of health problems (3).

Why Did My GP Ask How Much Alcohol I Drink Before Prescribing Statins?

This can be a confusing question when it’s followed up with reassurance that alcohol doesn’t interact dangerously with statins.

It’s a question that’s asked as part of an overall risk assessment. Your GP is assessing your specific health risks, which includes finding out whether you’re drinking alcohol excessively.

This helps them to offer the right treatment for you, that improves your health, rather than damaging it.

Don’t worry, it’s not a case of ruling out patients based on the fact they drink moderately a couple of times a week.

Is Total Abstinence Recommended?

Total abstinence isn’t necessary for the average patient.

The exceptions are cases involving heavy alcohol use (which can include binge drinking, daily drinking, and drinking large volumes of alcohol), and medical conditions such as significant liver disease.

If any form of alcohol dependence is present, it’s strongly recommended to abstain. This isn’t only for the benefit of removing any statin-related risks. Alcohol dependence is a serious health issue that can be treated effectively at alcohol rehab.

What If I Can’t Cut Down?

Being unable to cut down on alcohol is a sign you may be dependent on it. Lots of people don’t realise they’re dependent until they find themselves in a situation that requires them to get sober, even temporarily, and they can’t seem to do it.

If this speaks to you, please consider reaching out to Rehab 4 Alcoholism for specialist advice and support.

We’ll help you with the first steps of getting help, by arranging for you to get a place at alcohol rehab (or another treatment type of your choice), and providing a high level of support as you make the brave decision to walk away from addiction.

Please don’t try to cut down instantly. It risks a dangerous alcohol withdrawal, and is never worth it. Instead, reach out to us, or your GP, and ask for support to safely withdraw from alcohol.

How Can Rehab 4 Alcoholism Help?

Our experience in finding suitable clinics doesn’t end here. We have a team of specialist advisors, many of whom carry personal experience with alcoholism, and work around the clock to secure treatment spots for people like you.

If dependence or addiction is something you’re battling right now, you don’t have to do it alone. Please give us a call to explore treatment options. We’re available 24/7 on 0800 111 4108 (UK) or +44 345 222 3509 (international).

FAQs

Below, we outline some frequently asked questions around this important topic?

1. Do alcohol and statins cause muscle problems when used together?

Alcohol isn’t a direct cause of statin-related muscle problems. However, muscle discomfort is a common side effect of statins, and it can be worsened by heavy alcohol use.

When someone is drinking excessively, they’re more likely to be under physical distress, including potential dehydration and nutritional deficiencies. This can worsen existing symptoms caused by statins, such as muscle weakness, aches, fatigue, and tenderness.

2. Are some statins more sensitive to alcohol than others?

No, all statins are safe to take alongside alcohol, provided that the alcohol consumption is only moderate, and there are no existing health risks, including liver disease and alcoholism.

It’s still sensible to discuss this with your GP, as they may have specific advice depending on the type of statin you’re taking, and your personal circumstances.

3. Are statins the most effective way to lower cholesterol?

Statins are an incredibly powerful tool for lowering cholesterol. One study predicted an 89.7% probability that statins are more effective than lifestyle interventions (4).

As well as being incredibly effective on the body, statins are more cost-effective (5). They can be very helpful for people who are struggling to manage their lifestyle factors, or are dealing with particularly high levels of cholesterol.

That said, lifestyle factors are extremely significant, too, including weight management, exercise, and a balanced diet. The healthiest option is usually a combination of statins and a healthy lifestyle.

Some people work hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle, but are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol regardless.

This doesn’t mean we should give up attempts to lower cholesterol naturally. Results are still impressive when it comes to diet and exercise. For example, several foods have been proven to distinctly modify LDL cholesterol levels, including avocados and turmeric (6).

References

[1] ​​https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/who-should-be-offered-statins

[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-its-made-cholesterol-production-in-your-body

[3] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a80b7ed40f0b623026951db/UK_CMOs__report.pdf

[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12431047/

[5] ibid.

[6] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939475321000028

Related posts