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Statins and Diabetes: A Deadly Connection

There’s no doubt about it: Statin drugs can cause diabetes, and the risk is so strong that even the FDA has issued a warning over it. But that’s only the beginning of the risk – because the latest research finds those cholesterol-lowering meds can not only give you diabetes, but also give you more complications from the disease. If you’re healthy before starting statins, the drugs will increase your risk of diabetes by 85 percent and more than double your odds of suffering from diabetes with complications, according to the study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The higher the dose, the higher your risk – and if you’re on high-intensity statin therapy, your risk of diabetes with complications jumps by 368 percent. You don’t have to face any of those risks. Most cases of high cholesterol can be handled though diet alone, and dietary changes will cut your risk of both diabetes and diabetes with complications. If you need a little more help, consider natural therapies--schedule a consult with me at my office.

Reference: Statins Linked to Diabetes and Complications in Healthy Adults