Consider other cholesterol … Levothyroxine is the best drug for the treatment of hypothyroidism. Statins are also more likely to cause muscle damage in people with an underactive thyroid. This is because having an underactive thyroid can lead to an increased cholesterol level, and treating hypothyroidism may cause your cholesterol level to decrease, without the need for statins. They include atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), and other generic and brand name versions. Also, people with low thyroid function are more vulnerable to the adverse effects statin drugs such as muscle breakdown (myositis.) Rosuvastatin is the most potent statin and has the longest half-life. 5 While high doses may therefore lead to greater toxicity than equivalent doses of other statins, relatively low doses can be effective in bringing patients to their cholesterol goal and in positively impacting clinical outcomes. Hypothyroidism is a condition where your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones to keep your metabolism and other body processes functioning at a good level. …your cholesterol is actually trying to help protect you (and your thyroid) in much the same way. Patient-Dependent: Many risk factors have been identified for statin-associated myopathy, including female gender, advanced age, and low body mass index. 3 Patients with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, untreated hypothyroidism, and renal or hepatic disease have also been shown to be at increased risk. Almost 12% of women take lifelong thyroid replacement therapy in the form of the generic levothyroxine or the brand name Synthroid.The most common cause of hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid gland, is autoimmune thyroiditis. And worsening hypothyroidism can create a vicious cycle for people. It was the statin … And the hypothyroidism and cholesterol connection was established back in the 1930’s. Statins have become some of the most widely prescribed cholesterol medications in the world. Cholesterol is NOT the Cause of Heart Disease (Hypothyroidism Is) The truth is that hypothyroidism was first discovered to be the cause of heart attacks in 1890. If you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), treatment may be delayed until this problem is treated. Your thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped gland that is located on the front part of your lower neck. A lower dose of statin may also be recommended. Exercise causes muscle pain too, so it is sometimes difficult to know if the pain comes from the statin or the exercise in someone who just started an exercise program. Best for: men with very high LDL cholesterol (190 or higher) Zocor (simvastatin) Manufacturer: Merck. It's best to make changes in your exercise routine more gradually. 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