Can Statins Increase Blood Sugar?

3 min read

Cardiovascular disease is a common and serious complication of diabetes. People with diabetes are more likely to have abnormal cholesterol levels. Having high cholesterol increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.^1,2

Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise, doctors often prescribe statins to manage high cholesterol. Here, we explore how statins affect blood sugar levels.¹

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the body and found in animal-based foods like meat, dairy, and eggs. Some cholesterol is necessary for normal bodily functions. But when cholesterol is too high, it can stick to the inside of blood vessels and cause narrowing or blockage. Abnormal cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and peripheral artery disease.²

Cholesterol is categorized into the following types:²

LDL (“bad”) cholesterol – High LDL increases the risk of heart disease. A diet high in saturated and trans fats is linked to high LDL cholesterol.
HDL (“good”) cholesterol – Higher HDL cholesterol may lower the risk of heart disease. Diabetes can decrease HDL levels.
Triglycerides – High triglycerides combined with low HDL and high LDL are linked to fatty deposits inside blood vessels. These fatty deposits cause plaque to build up and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Balancing cholesterol levels is important for cardiovascular health. Diabetes tends to lower "good" cholesterol and raise "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels.²

What are statins?

Statins are drugs that treat abnormal cholesterol levels. They work by reducing the amount of cholesterol made in the liver. Statins also remove LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from the blood. Improving cholesterol balance prevents plaque buildup in blood vessels.^1,3

Statins are highly effective at preventing heart attack and stroke. There are many different types and strengths of statins.^1,3

Can statins increase blood sugar?

There is evidence that statins can increase blood sugar. However, depending on your risk of heart disease, the benefits of taking statins may outweigh the risks.^1,3

Experts believe that taking statins increases a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 10 percent over 5 years. The risk is higher for people with prediabetes and insulin resistance. For people who already have diabetes, statins are linked to increased blood sugar.^4,5

Studies show that statin use increases insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when your cells do not respond normally to the insulin your body produces. Insulin resistance leads to higher blood sugar levels. Researchers are still looking at how statins impact insulin resistance.^5-7

The following factors are linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes while taking a statin:^4,7

Higher statin doses
Insulin resistance and prediabetes
Abdominal obesity
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Certain genetic and lifestyle factors
Steroid use

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Ways to support your cardiovascular health

Managing blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure is critical to supporting cardiovascular health. Here are some steps you can take to keep your heart healthy:^1,2,8,9

Nutrition – Eat a well-balanced diet focused on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. Avoid saturated and trans fats, added sugar, and salt.
Exercise – Aim for 20 to 25 minutes daily of moderate physical activity (like walking). Also, try to do muscle-strengthening exercises 2 days per week.
Weight management – Work toward or maintain a healthy weight.
Smoking – Stop smoking. Talk to your doctor if you need help.
Alcohol – Limit or avoid alcohol. The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting alcohol to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you must manage your cholesterol to maintain your cardiovascular health. The benefit of statins for heart disease prevention may outweigh the risk of increased blood sugar. Talk to your doctor to make a plan based on your overall health.^3,4

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simba Member
Do you have info on blood pressure medications and if they cause diabetes, I was taking Hydrochlorothiazide and was told it can raise sugars in people with diabetes also..We were also told to be careful with any medications in our diabetes class because of certain medications can raise sugars. Now how on earth does a person keep track of all this, I went off my blood pressure meds because I lost weight and blood pressure was good, but still don’t know if it caused my diabetes, I was on this way before I got diabetes, I did a lot of research on Hydrochlorothiazide and it said it can cause diabetes and weight gain, so I’m about 90% sure that’s how I got diabetes. I was on this for many years. I also over heard a conversation at the lab about a woman was told by her doctor that hydrochlorothiazide can cause diabetes and she was on it because that was the only medication that helped her, and she said her doctor told her to stick to a good diet while she was taking it, as a preventative measure so she didn’t get diabetes while taking it. So be careful with any medication be diabetic or not, so many side effects. Do your own research before going on medication. I’m on two medications for what they thought was depression when diagnosed with diabetes and an anti anxiety med after diagnoses, and really hard to go off of. Because there is withdrawl. I’m warning people because what I’ve experienced, and don’t want anyone else to go through. I tried once to get off the anti anxiety med and couldn’t because of withdrawl, and same with anti depressants. It most likely was diabetes distress, and had no support. The fear that comes with diabetes is real. And most doctors do not know of diabetes distress because it’s a new phenomenon that people go through, and I didn’t know this, there’s more research on this now since we have the internet, I wish I new. Now I have to try and get off these horrible medications. Also, when you go through grief like I have with my dear mom. Grief does not go away it’s always there, it turns into mourning, but it really doesn’t go away like people think, you carry it with you and need lots of support with this to, you need love, grace, TLC, and gentle care. I truely belief there’s not enough help in these areas. And everyone goes through it differently same as a diabetes diagnosis, I have a very good article on when a person is diagnosed with any chronic condition, your in shock and disbelief, when told you have this disease, and I went down the wrong path or my doctor did, by giving me antidepressants and anti anxiety meds when first diagnosed, instead of asking me how are you feeling with your diagnosis, I did tell him I am scared and feeling down, and he gave me drugs instead of saying that this is normal. I cried that day in his office and he miss took it for depression. And I believed him because I didn’t know this is a normal response of diagnoses. And I didn’t have the right support at home. I am sorry for everyone who lives with this disease and empathize because it’s not easy, and people just don’t get it and have a filter before they say uneducated things about my diabetes. And ignorant things to boot.
simba Member
that’s suppose to say no filter
1. Lori.Foster Community Admin
 Hi <inline-mention username="simba" user-id="3615573"/>. Thanks for bringing this up. From what I have read, hydrochlorothiazide can induce type 2 diabetes in some people and raise blood sugar levels in people who are already diabetic, but researchers feel that the cardiac benefits outweight the risks for most people. Here is a study from the National Institutes of Health that explores the connection: <a href='https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27424996/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer ugc'>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27424996/</a>. So, you might be right about the relationship in your case. Did your doctor explore other options before prescribing it? Many people end up on thiazides because they can't tolerate other blood pressure medications. - Lori (Team Member)

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