A possible explanation for the adverse muscular effects experienced by a quarter of patients who take statins to reduce cholesterol has been reported by Dutch researchers. Most statins are prescribed in their pharmacologically active acid form, but are converted to the inactive lactone form by the enzyme uridine 50 diphospho-glucu-ronosyltransferases (UGTs). In the journal Cell Metabolism on 1 September 2015, researchers report that the highly polymorphic nature of UGTs may further contribute to the differences in conversion rates and ensuing lactone levels between patients.
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