As if statin drugs did not already have enough side effects to give you pause, a new study awaiting publication in “Diabetes/ Metabolism, Research and Reviews” concluded that the long term use of statin drugs increases your risk of developing type-2 diabetes by 100% - 200%. “Those who used statins for two years or less did not have a statistically significant increase in their risk for diabetes,” said Victoria Zigmont, the study author. “But those who used the drugs for more than two years had a greater risk.”
The study included nearly 5,000 men and women who were followed for four years. “Overall, the study showed what I expected it to show – a greater risk for diabetes among those who used statin drugs for a significant period of time,” Zigmont said. She noted that a complex series of biological changes occurs in the body when statin drugs are taken over time, leading to that increase of risk. These include metabolic changes and increased insulin resistance.
“The decision to take a statin and in what dosage is a discussion for patients to discuss with their doctors,” Zigmont said. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and research has shown that statins help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. At the same time, there are side effects to any pharmaceutical. And certainly, people should strongly consider lifestyle modifications, whether they take statins or not. After all, obesity is the number one risk factor for diabetes. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking are among the things people can do to reduce their risk for both heart disease and diabetes.”
This seems a particular concern at a time when pharmaceutical companies are pushing to have the preventive use of statins approved for people in their 20s with no previous personal history of heart disease.
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