A decrease in the oxidative damage to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is one of the protective mechanisms in which a traditional Mediterranean diet exerts a protective effect on coronary heart disease development.
While the cause of statin-associated myopathy is controversial, a central role for coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 or ubiquinone) is slowly gaining acceptance. Statins have been shown to create an acquired CoQ10 deficiency.