Taking statins double the risk of getting diabetes

by: | March 10, 2016
Taking statins double the risk of getting diabetes
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(NaturalHealth365) There’s alarming news for many patients who take cholesterol-lowering statins. A recent study has determined that otherwise-healthy individuals who take statins for high cholesterol are twice as likely to get diabetes than if they were not taking the drug. These people also have a significantly higher risk of serious diabetic complications such as eye, kidney and nerve damage.

The study was published in the May 2015 Journal of General Internal Medicine and tracked individuals for nearly ten years. The study was led by Ishak Mansi, a professor and heart specialist at the University of Texas.

Alarming jump in diabetes risk adds to list of side effects of statins

While a diabetes correlation with statins has always existed, the link between diabetes complications and statin use had never before been verified. Medical professionals had always thought it was due to the fact that those taking statins tended to have more medical risk factors already.

Statins are ideally meant to help those with heart issues. However, some people take them to offset high cholesterol as a preventative measure. It now appears that they may be doing far more harm than good for those who are at a low risk for heart disease. Statins may in fact have highly detrimental long-term effects for this group of people.

While study leader Mansi did not feel patients should stop taking statins immediately based just upon the study results, those at risk should consult with their physician on the matter. This is how researchers avoid getting fired … they simply advise patients to ‘talk to their doctor’ – without saying the truth: Statins are dangerous!

Finding healthier ways to lower cholesterol and improve heart health

Awareness of the connection of statin usage with these risks could serve as motivation for people to make lifestyle changes instead of taking toxic medication. Exercising more, eating whole (unprocessed) foods, losing excess body weight and quitting smoking improves health without the negative side effects of statins.

While some medical professionals believe that the risk to benefit ratio of statins is ‘manageable,’ doubling the risk of diabetes and related symptoms should give both patients and physicians plenty of reasons to be concerned.

Diabetes and related complications aren’t the only side effects of statins and cholesterol lowering drugs. For example, Lipitor has been linked with digestive issues, abdominal pain, liver problems, joint pain and memory loss.

Warning: Statins also drain the body of essential CoQ10 enzyme

Statins are also known for depleting the body of the key enzyme CoQ10, which supports heart health and is essential for cell health. Persons who have serious illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer also tend to have lower than average CoQ10 levels.

Taking statins and cholesterol-lowering drugs clearly have an alarming range of serious side effects, from diabetes to leeching CoQ10 from the body. Making healthy lifestyle changes instead of taking a drug is almost always preferable. According to many health experts, those who continue to take statins should at least take a CoQ10 supplement to replenish this health-sustaining enzyme.

Editor’s note: The NaturalHealth365 Store offers the finest quality CoQ10 on the market.  Click here to order today.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25917657

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3425192/Heart-drug-statins-DOUBLES-risk-diabetes-according-alarming-10-year-study.html

Side effects of Lipitor now include type 2 diabetes

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