Most of us have heard about the muscle, liver, kidney, and neurological consequences of statin use, varying from mild to permanent damage to, in very rare cases, death. Now there’s another concern. A study of 161,808 post-menopausal women studied over a minimum of eight years showed an increased incidence of Type 2/adult onset diabetes in those taking statin drugs.
Use of statin medications to lower cholesterol by post menopausal women was shown to significantly increase the risk of developing type II diabetes in this population, according to a recent study. (Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(2):144-152. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.625) An increased risk ratio of 1.71 was found among statin users...this means you have almost twice (well, 1 3/4 is more acurate) the risk of developing diabetes if you are on a statin drug.
It is common knowledge that type II diabetes increases ones chance of experiencing a major cardiovascular event and all the other consequences of diabetes, including kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy, and blindness.
Lifestyle changes are essential for reducing your risk of heart disease, whether you take a statin or not. Lifestyle changes you should consider making include quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet that’s low in white flour, sugars, and fat (especially saturated and trans fats), exercising 30 minutes a day on most days of the week, managing stress effectively (massage, mind-body therapy, counseling, and hypnotherapy all available here at HBHC), and taking appropriate nutritional supplements.
Our nutritionist, Beth Kelley, can help you design a diet to lower cholesterol and reduce blood sugar levels at the same time, minimizing diabetes risk. You also can consult with Beth or one of our chiropractors, Dr. Jay or Dr. Kim, about what supplements may work for you. At the very least, all people on statins should also be taking CoEnzyme Q10, a powerful anti-oxidents whose levels are decreased by statin use. Scientists believe free radicals contribute to the aging process, as well as a number of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants, such as CoQ10, can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.
Other natural cholesterol reducers include red yeast rice, increasing fiber in your diet, tumeric, niacin, garlic, weight loss, low glycemic foods(low white flour, low sugars, agave or stevia instead of sugar), avoiding processed and fast foods, and regular exercise.
Reference: Statin Use and Risk of Diabetes Mellitus in Postmenopausal Women in the Women’s Health Initiative. http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/archinternmed.2011.625
Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/coenzyme-q10-000295.htm#ixzz1sKCeyevK; b http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART03028/High-Cholesterol.html
You can stop by the office for tickets, which are $18 per person. This is a no alcohol venue, and good times will be had by all, if previous performances I’ve attended are anything to go by. 