Cholesterol
Statin · short half-life
Simvastatin
Also known as: Zocor
Best time
Evening
- 19:00–23:00
Take in the evening so the drug is active while the liver makes most of its cholesterol.
Strong evidence
Consistent clinical trials or official prescribing guidance support this timing.
Why this time works
Simvastatin blocks HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that makes cholesterol. The liver runs this enzyme hardest overnight. Because simvastatin only lasts a few hours in the body (half-life ~2–3 h), an evening dose overlaps that night-time peak; trials show greater LDL lowering than with morning dosing.
Body rhythm involved
Hepatic cholesterol synthesis peaks between midnight and early morning.