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. 2026 Feb 20;38(1):89.
doi: 10.1007/s40520-026-03337-z.

Statin use does not impair muscle health in older adults: findings from the SCOPE study

Seyedeh Dalia Fazel  1 , Lisanne Tap  2 , Paolo Fabbietti  3 , Andrea Corsonello  3   4 , Robert Kob  5 , Cornel C Sieber  5 , Regina Roller-Wirnsberger  6 , Gerhard Wirnsberger  6 , Ronit Ben-Romano  7 , Itshak Melzer  7 , Tomasz Kostka  8 , Agnieszka Guligowska  8 , Axel C Carlsson  9   10 , Francesc Formiga  11 , Rafael Moreno-González  11 , Johan Ärnlöv  9   12 , Fabrizia Lattanzio  3 , Francesco Mattace-Raso  13 ; other SCOPE investigators
Affiliations

Statin use does not impair muscle health in older adults: findings from the SCOPE study

Seyedeh Dalia Fazel et al. Aging Clin Exp Res. .

Abstract

Background: Statins are used for cardiovascular prevention, but their potential impact on muscle health in adults aged ≥ 75 years remains unclear.

Aims: To assess whether statin use is associated with adverse changes in muscle strength, skeletal muscle mass, and physical performance in older adults.

Methods: Data were drawn from the SCOPE study including 2,282 participants aged ≥ 75 years with complete baseline data on statin use and muscle outcomes. Muscle strength was assessed via handgrip strength, muscle mass via skeletal muscle index (SMI), and physical performance via the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Outcomes were measured at baseline and after two years. Associations with statin use were analysed cross-sectionally and longitudinally, stratified by sex, and adjusted for confounders.

Results: At baseline, 1,107 participants (48.5%) used statins (median age 79 years). Cross-sectional analyses showed no association between statin use and handgrip strength, SMI, or SPPB scores in either sex. Over two years, there were no significant between-group differences in changes over time in handgrip strength (men: − 3.1 vs. − 2.6 kg, p = 0.8; women: − 1.5 vs. − 2.5 kg, p = 0.6), SMI (men: +1.0 vs. − 0.6 kg/m², p = 0.1; women: +0.4 vs. − 0.1 kg/m², p = 0.4), or risk of SPPB decline (men: OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.9–1.8; women: OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8–1.4).

Discussion: These findings support muscular safety of statins in well-functioning older adults, reducing concerns about potential harm.

Conclusions: In this large cohort of adults aged ≥ 75 years, statin use was not associated with adverse changes in muscle strength, muscle mass, or physical performance over two years.

Keywords: Muscle health; Muscle strength; Older adults; Physical performance; Skeletal muscle mass; Statins.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this manuscript. Ethics approval: The SCOPE study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the local ethics committees of each participating center. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Consent to participate: Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
This histogram illustrates the distribution of statin types among participants. Atorvastatin was the most commonly used statin, accounting for 39% of the sample, followed by simvastatin. Rosuvastatin represented 15%, pravastatin 6%, fluvastatin 2%, and lovastatin 1%
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mean percentage change in grip strength and skeletal muscle index (SMI) over a 2-year follow-up, according to statin use and stratified by sex. Negative values indicate decline. Bars represent adjusted mean percentage changes with 95% confidence intervals. Blue tones represent men and red tones represent women, with darker shades indicating statin users. No statistically significant differences were observed between statin users and non-users. Abbreviations: SMI, skeletal muscle index
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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