Statin drugs work in the liver, which means it is important to use caution with alcohol while taking these drugs.

The Food and Drug Administration lists liver damage as one of the potential dangers of taking statins, but this type of liver injury is considered rare. Patients suffering from fatigue, loss of appetite, or other symptoms that point to liver problems are advised to contact their doctors. The FDA advises patients to be checked for liver damage before starting to take statins.

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Mayo Clinic doctors advise that people who drink more than a moderate amount of alcohol will be more likely to face some of the negative side effects of taking statins. For women, that amounts to one drink a day. For men under 65 years of age, the amount is two drinks a day.

PDR Health explains that drinking no more than 12 fluid ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor is not connected to an increased risk to heart damage. The type of alcohol does not matter. However, any alcohol consumption while on cholesterol medication can increase the risk of liver damage and should be avoided.

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Scientists find that people who engage in risky alcohol consumption are less likely to stick to their cholesterol medication. That “risky” behavior included “high alcohol consumption” or “extreme drinking occasions.”

Statins are among the most widely used medications in the United States. Kaiser Health News reports that if some cholesterol guidelines were followed, about half of Americans over the age of 40 would be on the drugs. That could include about 56-million people.


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