A new study has found that two very common medications may have very different effects on muscle health in people who smoke or used to smoke.
Researchers discovered that statins, which are medicines often used to lower cholesterol, may help slow down the loss of chest muscles. At the same time, aspirin, which many people take to protect their heart, may be linked to faster muscle loss.
The findings are important because muscle loss is a serious problem for many older adults and for people with chronic lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also called COPD. The study was published in the January 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.
COPD is a long-term lung disease that makes breathing difficult. It includes conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is the leading cause of COPD, although some people who never smoked can also develop the disease because of pollution, workplace chemicals, or other causes.
COPD affects more than 30 million people in the United States and is one of the leading causes of death around the world.
Most people know COPD damages the lungs, but fewer people realize it can also affect muscles throughout the body. Many people with COPD slowly lose muscle mass and strength over time. This can make everyday activities harder, including walking, climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or even breathing.
Chest muscles are especially important because they help people breathe properly. When these muscles become weaker, breathing problems can become even worse.
The research team wanted to learn whether common medications could influence muscle health in smokers and former smokers. Many people in this group also have heart disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol, so they often take medicines such as statins and aspirin for many years.
To study this question, researchers examined chest scans from 4,191 participants who took part in the COPDGene study. This is a large, long-term research project designed to understand the causes and effects of COPD.
The researchers looked closely at the pectoral muscles, which are the muscles in the chest area. They measured the size and density of these muscles at two different time points to see how they changed over time.
The results showed an interesting pattern. People taking statins appeared to lose chest muscle more slowly compared with those not taking statins. In contrast, people taking aspirin seemed to experience greater muscle loss over time.
The lead researcher, Dr. Toru Shirahata from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, explained that smokers and former smokers are commonly prescribed both statins and aspirin because they often have heart-related health problems.
By studying the chest muscles of these patients, the researchers noticed that statins may provide some protection against muscle loss, while aspirin may be linked to worsening muscle decline.
These findings may help doctors think more carefully about how medications affect the whole body, not just the condition they were originally designed to treat. Statins are mainly prescribed to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Aspirin is often used to thin the blood and help prevent blood clots. However, this study suggests these drugs may also affect muscles in ways doctors did not fully understand before.
The study could be especially important for people living with COPD. Muscle loss in COPD patients is linked to poorer health, lower quality of life, more hospital visits, and a higher risk of death. Protecting muscle strength may help people stay active and independent for longer.
At the same time, the researchers warned that the study does not prove that statins directly protect muscles or that aspirin directly damages them. The study only found a connection between the medications and changes in muscle size. Other factors may also play a role.
For example, the researchers did not fully examine exercise habits, diet, physical activity levels, or other health conditions that could influence muscle health.
Some people taking aspirin may already have more serious illnesses that increase muscle loss. More studies will be needed to better understand exactly why these differences were seen.
Even so, the findings raise important questions for future research. Scientists may now explore whether certain medications could help preserve muscle strength in people with lung disease or a long history of smoking.
Doctors may also begin looking more closely at how to balance heart health and muscle health at the same time, especially in older adults.
The study is another reminder that medications can affect the body in many unexpected ways. Drugs designed for one purpose may sometimes create benefits or risks in completely different parts of the body. This is why researchers continue studying medications long after they become widely used.
For people with COPD, former smokers, or older adults concerned about muscle weakness, the findings may encourage more conversations with doctors about overall health. Muscle health is influenced by many factors, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, smoking history, and medications.
Experts still strongly advise people not to stop taking prescribed medications without speaking to a doctor first. Statins and aspirin can be lifesaving for many patients with heart disease and other serious conditions. But studies like this may eventually help doctors choose treatments more carefully for each individual patient.
As scientists continue learning more about COPD and aging, researchers hope to find better ways to protect both the lungs and muscles of vulnerable patients. Keeping muscles healthy may help people stay stronger, breathe easier, and enjoy a better quality of life as they age.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and Vitamin C linked to lower risk of heart failure.
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