Statins - can they inhibit orgasms??

[HJL44]

I went onto statins a few months ago. It may or may not be coincidental but lately my orgasms are bloody rubbish, not worth the effort tbh I am menopausal so could be that instead I guess? But just wondered if the statins might be the problem? Has anyone else had this as a side effect?

I guess it's hard for me to separate the two because I started on both at roughly the same time. I've not noticed a problem with orgasms so much as loss of libido. Best wishes.

This is an excerpt from a review of adverse event reporting (I’ll copy the link for the full report at the bottom, but it seems to show that it can be an issue, and give possible explanations why). Not sure what the answer is, maybe a different statin wouldn’t have the same effect.

“Several epidemiologic studies have investigated the effects of statins on sexual function, but generated conflicting results: some studies indicated that statin use was associated with increased risk of sexual function disorders38,39, while others found no effects on sexual function40. Our study found that statins as a class were associated with increased risk of dyspareunia, sexual dysfunction, disturbance in sexual arousal and orgasm abnormal, atorvastatin was associated with increased risk of dyspareunia, sexual dysfunction and anorgasmia, and simvastatin was associated with increased risk of libido increased, sexual dysfunction and disturbance in sexual arousal. The mechanism for increased risk of sexual function disorders could be partly attributable to the effects of statins on gonadal steroid hormones. Statins may reduce gonadal steroid hormone biosynthesis through hepatic inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, which is the precursors of androstenedione and estradiol40. Reductions of gonadal steroid hormones in females are found to be associated with low sexual desire, arousal, and responsiveness41”

www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68906-2

Thanks @2022sucksalready, that's interesting, I'm on atorvastatin which the article links with anorgasmia!
@Liz1tummypain what statin are you on?

@HJL44, hi, I take atorvastatin. The only side affect that I can point to with any real certainty is they make me thirsty at night time, but if I need them to reduce the chance of the heart problem I had a few years back then it's a small price to pay. I think there's always a bit of a balance in the pros and cons that we have to accept. I think my orgasms could be a tad weaker maybe, than when I first started on them, I'm also on HRT and I expect I'm what they'd call post-menopausal now so it could all be tied up with that. If I had to decide on one theme to my sexuality, a lesser orgasm wouldn't come up but a lower libido probably would. Husband hasn't changed and we still love each other. Hope this is helpful.

(I had my womb removed a long time ago, so that's why I never knew about the menopause. No periods to link it to)