I'm not sure if any of the other statins lower cholesterol. I'm on Pravachol, which is pravastatin. It would be great if some of the other statin drugs were good for PCOS too. If simvastatin is going generic AND helps with PCOS, I'd be willing to try it...but since this is my third cholesterol drug, I don't want to change unless this one doesn't work.
Edit: I found this link that says that statins, specifically pravastatin, *might* have some effect on testosterone function...but they aren't really sure.
"Endocrine Function- HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors interfere with cholesterol synthesis and lower circulating cholesterol levels and, as such, might theoretically blunt adrenal or gonadal steroid hormone production. Results of clinical trials with pravastatin in males and post-menopausal females were inconsistent with regard to possible effects of the drug on basal steroid hormone levels. In a study of 21 males, the mean testosterone response to human chorionic gonadotropin was significantly reduced (p< 0.004) after 16 weeks of treatment with 40 mg of pravastatin. However, the percentage of patients showing a 50% rise in plasma testosterone after human chorionic gonadotropin stimulation did not change significantly after therapy in these patients. The effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on spermatogenesis and fertility have not been studied in adequate numbers of patients. The effects, if any, of pravastatin on the pituitary-gonadal axis in pre-menopausal females are unknown. Patients treated with pravastatin who display clinical evidence of endocrine dysfunction should be evaluated appropriately. Caution should also be exercised if an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor or other agent used to lower cholesterol levels is administered to patients also receiving other drugs (e.g., ketoconazole, spironolactone, cimetidine) that may diminish the levels or activity of steroid hormones."
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