Statins and bone: Myth or reality?

In the space of a few weeks, four articles appeared in the The Lancet and JAMA suggesting that using 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) is associated with increased bone mineral density (BMD) [1] and a reduced fracture risk [2-4]. The stimulus for these case-control studies came from reports that the statins have unexpected effects on bone, increasing bone formation in rodents [5]. These observations offered a new insight into the potential importance of the cholesterol synthesis pathway in bone turnover and future therapeutic opportunities.