Vitamin D to Prevent Statin-Associated Muscle Symptoms?

In several observational studies, statin myopathy has been associated with low vitamin D levels. To determine whether vitamin D supplementation prevents muscle symptoms in statin-treated patients, researchers used a subset of data from the VITAL study, in which investigators primarily had examined the effect of vitamin D supplements on outcomes such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and fractures (NEJM JW Gen Med Aug 15 2022 and N Engl J Med 2022; 387:299; NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 15 2018 and N Engl J Med 2019; 380:33).

The 26,000 participants in VITAL were randomized to take 2000 IU of vitamin D₃ or placebo daily. About 2100 participants — half of whom had been randomized to vitamin D and half to placebo — began taking statins at some point dur…