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Statins
- Thread starter ART1C
- Start Date
Prem51
Expert
Hi @ART1C I don't think it has been suggested that statins can cause diabetes. There are suggestions that they might raise blood sugar levels, which might contribute to becoming diabetic.
I was on statins for about 7 years before I was diagnosed as diabetic. But I was in a couple of high risk groups - being South Asian, and my mother was T2. Also I had not exercised after retiring, was eating more and drinking 3-4 pints of beer most nights. I had put on over a stone in weight.
So any or all of those factors might have contributed to my diagnosis. I have lowered my bs levels by an LCHF approach to eating and walking every day. I did continue to take the statins until last month. I will see what my HbA1c and cholesterol levels are like at my next HbA1c test, due in September. If my (bad) cholesterol level is high I might go back on the statins.
I was on statins for about 7 years before I was diagnosed as diabetic. But I was in a couple of high risk groups - being South Asian, and my mother was T2. Also I had not exercised after retiring, was eating more and drinking 3-4 pints of beer most nights. I had put on over a stone in weight.
So any or all of those factors might have contributed to my diagnosis. I have lowered my bs levels by an LCHF approach to eating and walking every day. I did continue to take the statins until last month. I will see what my HbA1c and cholesterol levels are like at my next HbA1c test, due in September. If my (bad) cholesterol level is high I might go back on the statins.
Thanks Prem51. However it has been suggested that statins are one of the causes, I wonder as I was not in any risk group so it all came out of the blue for me. Sadly my control of my levels with tablets and diet has gone haywire in recent months so they want me to move onto injections which I am loathe to do. So I have tried all suggested supplements etc but ............
Prem51
Expert
@ART1C I'm sorry to hear that. I have a needle phobia and was terrified by the idea that I might have to go onto injections at some point. It was the major factor in spurring me on to losing weight and reducing my bs levels.
What sort of diet did you follow? If it was the NHS recommended diet which includes eating carbohydrates it would lead to increased bs levels, as carbs turn to sugar in our bodies. A lot of us on here have found that a Low Carbohydrate High Fat approach to eating has reduced our bs levels (and weight). Have you considered LCHF?
What sort of diet did you follow? If it was the NHS recommended diet which includes eating carbohydrates it would lead to increased bs levels, as carbs turn to sugar in our bodies. A lot of us on here have found that a Low Carbohydrate High Fat approach to eating has reduced our bs levels (and weight). Have you considered LCHF?
Hi Prem51
I haven't had a weight problem. I tried the 5:2 diet for a while but lost too much weight! I have been following a low carbohydrate diet but the high fat is an issue as I had highish cholesterol levels. Unfortunately I have failed to find triggers to high bs levels as they seem to randomly effect me and there is no particular food to level correlation. I have a very stressed life, factors I cannot avoid and despite some meditation the bs levels stay high for periods like now. Though now is a particular high level period. It is parallel with my migraines escalating,, Ho hum!
I haven't had a weight problem. I tried the 5:2 diet for a while but lost too much weight! I have been following a low carbohydrate diet but the high fat is an issue as I had highish cholesterol levels. Unfortunately I have failed to find triggers to high bs levels as they seem to randomly effect me and there is no particular food to level correlation. I have a very stressed life, factors I cannot avoid and despite some meditation the bs levels stay high for periods like now. Though now is a particular high level period. It is parallel with my migraines escalating,, Ho hum!
Prem51
Expert
@ART1C I had highish cholesterol levels too and took statins until recently. I was a bit concerned about the High Fat aspect of LCHF. But people on here have said that after an initial rise their cholesterol levels actually got better with LCHF. And there are good and bad parts of the cholesterol. I haven't really looked into it too deeply yet. There seems to be different views as to how bad cholesterol is for us anyway. I am going to see what my HbA1c and cholesterol levels are like at my next test, due in September.
Perhaps you should consider LCHF. My view was that I didn't have anything to lose by giving it a try. If it didn't work for me I could stop. But it does seem to be working for me.
Perhaps you should consider LCHF. My view was that I didn't have anything to lose by giving it a try. If it didn't work for me I could stop. But it does seem to be working for me.
My diabetic consultant told me that diabetes is better than a heart attack. I have heart issues in the family. I agree about trying things, so I have tried lots of supplements. My last tested cholesterol levels were higher than desirable so I was advised to cut as many high fat items as possible. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
AtkinsMo
Well-Known Member
Statins raise blood glucose levels. Statins have been prescribed to diabetics because with diabetes you have a higher risk of heart disease, so they are prescribed as a preventative. However, if (as seems likely) the increased risk of heart disease is actually linked to the increased inflamation resulting from high blood glucose, this move (of taking statins) could actually harm not help.
I have been a Statin sceptic for many years. I got my first high cholesterol reading (I think it was about 8.6) several years ago and had a couple of weeks before the doctor's appointment when statins were to be prescribed. I read all that I could read and decided that statins were not for me.
Thankfully, my doctor respected my decision and they don't bother me about it.
If you want to look into the 'downside' of statin medication, a good starting point is 'The Great Cholesterol Con' by Malcolm Kendrick. Only the early statin trials, prior to 2005, when research was much less controlled and monitored, revealed benefits for statins versus placebo, and in Primary prevention (when you have no pre-existing heart disease) their benefits are minuscule with a a large 'number needed to treat' to produce a potential benefit for one person. Only today, the BMJ has published an update on its endeavours to get the original statin trials to release their raw data for independent scientists to interrogate, 2 years down the line from this endeavour, they have still not got responses from the vast majority of trials.
http://www.bmj.com/campaign/statins-open-data
Personally, I would be far more interested in lowering blood glucose as a primary aim than lowering cholesterol, which, for people with no history of heart disease, has virtually no benefit. My total cholesterol (now, I think, about 7.6) does not worry me in the slightest!
I have been a Statin sceptic for many years. I got my first high cholesterol reading (I think it was about 8.6) several years ago and had a couple of weeks before the doctor's appointment when statins were to be prescribed. I read all that I could read and decided that statins were not for me.
Thankfully, my doctor respected my decision and they don't bother me about it.
If you want to look into the 'downside' of statin medication, a good starting point is 'The Great Cholesterol Con' by Malcolm Kendrick. Only the early statin trials, prior to 2005, when research was much less controlled and monitored, revealed benefits for statins versus placebo, and in Primary prevention (when you have no pre-existing heart disease) their benefits are minuscule with a a large 'number needed to treat' to produce a potential benefit for one person. Only today, the BMJ has published an update on its endeavours to get the original statin trials to release their raw data for independent scientists to interrogate, 2 years down the line from this endeavour, they have still not got responses from the vast majority of trials.
http://www.bmj.com/campaign/statins-open-data
Personally, I would be far more interested in lowering blood glucose as a primary aim than lowering cholesterol, which, for people with no history of heart disease, has virtually no benefit. My total cholesterol (now, I think, about 7.6) does not worry me in the slightest!
SunnyExpat
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,230
- Type of diabetes
- Prefer not to say
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
I don't think any causality between statins and diabetes has been established.
It may be true that statins are prescribed for high cholesterol, and then the patient goes on to develop diabetes, but many like myself developed diabetes without the use of statins.
Many on here won't touch statins, many on here take them.
However, regardless, we're still diabetic.
Whatever you decide, give it a go for a few months, get your blood re-tested, as it takes a while for any change to settle down.
There is also newly appearing suggestions that cholesterol may be different in the effects on the male and female population, with age, so take any advice that seems not to differentiate with caution.
I intend to keep mine within acceptable guidelines.
It may be true that statins are prescribed for high cholesterol, and then the patient goes on to develop diabetes, but many like myself developed diabetes without the use of statins.
Many on here won't touch statins, many on here take them.
However, regardless, we're still diabetic.
Whatever you decide, give it a go for a few months, get your blood re-tested, as it takes a while for any change to settle down.
There is also newly appearing suggestions that cholesterol may be different in the effects on the male and female population, with age, so take any advice that seems not to differentiate with caution.
I intend to keep mine within acceptable guidelines.
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SunnyExpat
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,230
- Type of diabetes
- Prefer not to say
- Treatment type
- Tablets (oral)
Checked mine, it quite clearly states it may be a possible side effect of this one particular statin the insert refers to.
It definitely doesn't state that all statins will raise blood glucose.
(It didn't when I took it to be fair, as I checked regularly, but if your's says that, I'd change, particularly if your BG increased)
AtkinsMo
Well-Known Member
'It may be a possible side effect' in other words, you accept the risk when you take it. I think you'll find it's a 'possible side effect' of all statins, they all have the same effects, they all have the same side effects, they all work in the same way.
