Previously, in vitro studies suggested that exposure to cholesterol-lowering statins results in decreases in HIV-1 replication. The mechanisms of inhibition remain uncertain, but possibilities include disrupting membrane trafficking or cytoskeletal processes necessary for intracellular transport of viral proteins, or altering cellular activation state necessary for viral gene expression. Initial in vivo studies of the effects of statins on HIV-1 have been largely anecdotal in nature and have yielded conflicting results. Although statin therapy is commonly used in HIV-1 infection, adverse effects from the combination of antiretrovirals and statins are possible. A more thorough understanding of the effects of statins on HIV-1 replication is essential to determine the potential therapeutic effect and to investigate the risks and benefits of this approach in vivo.