Warning: Could Statins Increase Your Risk Of Diabetes Type 2?

Statins may increase your risk of Diabetes Type 2 according to recent research, showing that there are more risks than benefits when it comes to cholesterol lowering drugs.

What Are Statins?

Doctors primarily prescribe statins as they work to block an enzyme in the liver that’s responsible for making cholesterol. 

In the United States of America alone, tens of millions of Americans take cholesterol lowering drugs, thinking this is the best way to lower heart disease. It’s estimated that 30 percent of American men and women are taking a statin. The latest study on this connection also shows that this link between statin use, diabetes risk and heart disease may be even stronger than previously reported.

One of these significant risks is an increased risk of Diabetes Type 2. People who have existing diabetes or developing diabetes should therefore be concerned by these potential side effects. 

What The New Statin Study Shows

The research published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, showed 8,567 men and women with an average age of 64 who were all diabetes-free and not taking statins when the study started [1]. Fifteen years later in a follow-up study, about 12 percent of the group had started taking statins and most were using either Zocor or Lipitor, and the rest were using Pravachol or Lescol. Many of the people took the statins for over a year and as a result, 716 new cases of diabetes occurred in the group.

Along with controlling for factors such as age, sex, smoking, family history of diabetes amongst others – the researchers found that statin use was also associated with a higher risk for insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels which are indicators of diabetes risk. Thirty-eight percent (38%) were also shown to have an increased risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. 

It didn’t matter what statin brand or dosage was used – the risk was especially high for statin users who were overweight or obese. This is, of course, more likely to put you at an increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes as well. Further research suggests there is also a similar causal link between elevated blood glucose, Type 2 Diabetes and statins as well. [2]

This research is important because studies show that cardiovascular disease is 70 percent higher in adults with diabetes than those without it, according to the CDC. [3]

How Do Statins Increase Your Risk Of Diabetes Type 2?

There are a few ways that statins have been shown to increase your risk of Diabetes Type 2. The first way is that it can increase insulin resistance. When your insulin level increases, this can be extremely harmful for your health. Increased insulin resistance contributes to chronic inflammation in the body and this is a major contributor to many diseases.

Insulin resistance can lead to heart disease and this is one of the main reasons why people start taking cholesterol-lowering drugs in the first place. Other symptoms associated with an increased risk of Diabetes include weight gain, chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, heart attacks, thyroid disruption and even diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Cancer.

Statins also increase your risk of diabetes by raising your blood sugar level. When you eat a meal containing starches and sugars the excess sugar goes to your liver where it’s then stored as cholesterol and triglycerides.

The role of statins is to prevent your liver from making cholesterol and as a result, the liver returns the sugar to the bloodstream – raising blood sugar levels.

As one of the side effects of statin drugs is finding your blood glucose level is elevated, this is known as hyperglycemia. Many doctors misdiagnose this as being Type 2 Diabetes and may therefore prescribe diabetes drugs such as Metformin or Insulin to try and manage the symptoms.

The Hidden Dangers Of Statins 

Yet statins have other dangers too. They are well known for causing muscle weakness and pain although they affect even more than this. Many people have also reported cognitive problems and memory loss as a result of continued use with statin medications.

Other potential side effects of taking statins include kidney problems, immune depression, sexual dysfunction, cataracts, abnormal liver enzymes, and even an increased cancer risk. 

Another observation is that statins can deplete your body’s CoQ10 levels. CoQ10 is an essential cofactor in the body – essential for creating ATP which is needed by every cell in the body for energy production. When CoQ10 is depleted it causes extreme fatigue, muscle achiness and weakness. Eventually, this can lead to heart failure. When CoQ10 is consistently low, it can result in no cellular energy and damaged DNA.

Taking statin drugs are a risk because they interfere with the body’s biological functions and hormone pathways. They even have an impact on your body’s natural ability to create Vitamin D, related to cholesterol. Vitamin D is known to improve insulin resistance and removing this nutrient may also remove the protective factor – meaning you are more likely to get Diabetes Type 2. 

How To Safely Lower Cholesterol

Anyone who wants to lower their cholesterol must first understand that new research shows that cholesterol is no longer the primary cause of heart disease. One study even shows that there is no real link between cholesterol and heart disease. [4] In fact, it’s been shown that low cholesterol contributes more to mortality rates in adults – not having high cholesterol levels.

People with very high cholesterol levels are the only people who benefit from cholesterol lowering practices. Instead, the High Density Lipoproteins or HDL number is a far more reliable indicator for heart disease risk. 

Many people find they are at low risk for heart disease because they have high levels of protective HDL. While many people with low cholesterol can be of high risk for heart disease because of their high LDL and triglycerides. 

In either case, your risk of heart disease has more to do with any damage to the interior layers of your arteries as this always precedes heart disease. This damage can be increased by various factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and inflammation. 

When your artery is damaged, cholesterol-rich plaque builds up as a protective mechanism. This creates problems when the rate of damage to the vessels and blood clots form, outpacing your body’s ability to repair the blood vessels.

This is why your body needs a good amount of cholesterol. It plays an essential role in creating cell membranes and hormone production, being essential for sex hormones. It also helps with Vitamin D and bile acids that can help you to digest fat. 

Cholesterol also plays an essential role in helping the brain to work properly and healthy nerve function. There’s also strong evidence that low cholesterol levels increase your risk of memory loss, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression and even suicide

Natural Alternatives To Taking Statins 

For all of the above reasons, it’s worth thinking twice if a doctor asks you to take statins to lower your cholesterol levels. If you are concerned about having to take them, then consider following a natural approach instead.

You can lower your cholesterol levels and protect your heart health by going on a low carb/low sugar diet that includes plenty of antioxidant-rich vegetables to protect you from heart disease, diabetes and many other diseases.

Natural alternatives to statins include Bergamot fruit extract that have been shown in clinical trials to improve CVD risk factors. Bergamot also play a role in controlling both the ‘bad’ and ‘good’ cholesterol at the same time.  In fact, clinical research ѕuрроrtѕ that Bеrgаmоt can lower “bad” cholesterol bу 36% and іnсrеаѕе “good” сhоlеѕtеrоl by 40% in juѕt 4 weeks. [5]

Nattokinase is a natural enzyme extracted from a popular Japanese food called Natto that can treat cardiovascular diseases. Studies show it can dissolve blood clots, improve blood flow and potentially lower the risk of heart disease. [6]

For anyone with Diabetes Type 2, high-quality Ceylon Cinnamon is recommended. There’s a strong body of research that shows that Cinnamon can improve blood sugar levels while another study of 60 реорlе wіth Type 2 Diabetes have fоund thаt small dоѕеѕ оf Cіnnаmоn rеduсеd blооd sugar lеvеlѕ, whіlе also decreasing LDL оr “bаd” cholesterol, triglycerides аnd tоtаl сhоlеѕtеrоl. [7]

By taking these natural solutions and following a healthy lifestyle, you may be able to avoid using statins and any unwanted health risks associated with them.

References:

[1] https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bcp.13898

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4156828/

[3] https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabetes-statistics-report.pdf

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6024687/

[5] httрѕ://рubmеd.nсbі.nlm.nіh.gоv/21056640/

[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6043915/

[7] https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/12/3215 

Recommended Reading

Recommended Examples