GOOD, THAT KNOCKED ME OFF STATINS: A Painful Side Effect of Statins Explained After Decades of Mystery. “For millions of people, statins are a daily shield against heart disease. But around 10 percent of those who take statins to lower cholesterol experience a mysterious, painful side effect that causes many to discontinue these potentially life-saving medicines. Scientists have recently found one possible reason why. Research from Columbia University and the University of Rochester in the US revealed a potential culprit: a tiny calcium gate inside muscle cells that statins may force open. The resulting calcium leak can damage muscle tissue, offering a new explanation for at least some cases of statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS).”