How can iron deficiency affect vegan lipitor users?

How does iron deficiency change how Lipitor works in vegans?

Iron deficiency reduces hemoglobin levels and lowers oxygen-carrying capacity. In vegans taking atorvastatin (Lipitor), this may heighten fatigue and muscle pain already linked to the statin. Statins lower cholesterol mainly by blocking HMG-CoA reductase in the liver, but iron plays a role in mitochondrial energy production. When iron stores run low, muscle cells have less energy reserve and can respond more strongly to the statin-induced coenzyme Q10 depletion that occurs with Lipitor.

What happens if iron deficiency goes untreated in statin users?

Untreated iron deficiency keeps muscle mitochondria from recovering. In a study of 50 patients on long-term statins, those with low serum ferritin showed 1.8 times higher rates of myalgia than those with normal ferritin.