New
research supported by the Academy of
Finland, the Finnish Diabetes Research Foundation, the Finnish Cardiovascular
Research Foundation, the Strategic Research Funding from the University of
Eastern Finland, Kuopio, and a grant from Kuopio University Hospital states
that statins can increase one’s risk for type two diabetes by 46%. The authors
have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. The
majority of people in this new study were taking atorvastatin and simvastatin.
In this study, the researchers investigated the effects of statin
treatment on blood glucose control and the risk for type 2 diabetes in 8749
nondiabetic men 45 to 73 years old in a 6-year follow-up based in Kuopio,
Finland. Diabetes was diagnosed via an oral glucose tolerance test, glycoslated
hemoglobin levels of 6.5% or higher (48 mmol/mol). The follow up showed out of
2412 individuals taking statins 625 of
the participants were diagnosed with diabetes. Atorvastatin and simvastatin
were associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes even after
adjustment for age, body mass index, waist circumference, physical activity,
smoking, alcohol intake, a family history of diabetes, and beta-blocker and
diuretic treatment, at a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.46.
Patients are put on statins to prevent heart
disease yet they are increasing their risk for diabetes which increases one’s
risk for heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and neuropathy. Other side effects of statin drugs include
dementia, high liver enzymes, muscle pain, low teststerone and asthma. Again there is no magic
bullet when it comes to treating any disease.
Most chronic disease such as high cholesterol is diet and lifestyle
related. Many individuals feel that they
eat healthy and do not know why they have high cholesterol. But in reality they do not eat healthy. So what is the point of taking a drug which
can cause a bigger health problem such as diabetes. Many of our drugs actually have worse side
effects then the health issues that they are treating.
Dr. Wiancek is a naturopathic doctor and
owner of the Riverwalk Natural Health Clinic & Pharmacy working in the
valley for seventeen years. She believes
we can all reach optimal health with dietart and lifetstyle changes. Her web-site Wiancek@healthref.com and phone number
970-926-7606.
