SLCO1B1: Statin Metabolism

rs4149056 · Pharmacogenomics

SLCO1B1 determines how you metabolize statin medications. The wrong statin at the wrong dose for your genotype can cause severe muscle pain (myopathy).

What This SNP Does

SLCO1B1 encodes a hepatic transporter that clears statins from the blood into the liver. The C allele reduces transport efficiency, causing higher blood levels of certain statins (especially simvastatin). This dramatically increases the risk of myopathy — from ~1-5% baseline to up to 60% for simvastatin 80mg in CC carriers. FDA labeling for simvastatin now references this pharmacogenomic interaction.

Genotype Meanings

Genotype	Status	What It Means
TT	Normal	Standard statin metabolism. No genotype-based dose restriction.
TC	Intermediate	~4x increased myopathy risk with simvastatin. Consider dose reduction or alternative statin.
CC	Poor transporter	~17x increased myopathy risk with simvastatin. Use rosuvastatin or pravastatin instead.

What You Can Do

If you take statins and carry the C allele, discuss alternatives with your doctor. Rosuvastatin and pravastatin are less affected by SLCO1B1. Never stop statins without medical advice — the cardiovascular benefits may outweigh the myopathy risk.

This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making health decisions based on genetic data. Genome Decoder does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease.