Why statins might raise blood sugar
Chronic HMGCR/HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor treatment contributes to dysglycemia by upregulating hepatic gluconeogenesis through autophagy induction
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Statins help lower cholesterol but can make the liver produce more sugar, especially in people who already have trouble with insulin. This happens because statins turn on a cellular cleanup process called autophagy, which accidentally makes the liver pump out more sugar.
Surprising Findings
Statins increase glucose production via autophagy, a process typically associated with health and longevity.
Autophagy is widely promoted as beneficial—anti-cancer, anti-aging—yet here it’s driving a key mechanism behind diabetes development.
Practical Takeaways
If you're on statins and have prediabetes or obesity, ask your doctor to monitor your fasting glucose and HbA1c regularly.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Statins help lower cholesterol but can make the liver produce more sugar, especially in people who already have trouble with insulin. This happens because statins turn on a cellular cleanup process called autophagy, which accidentally makes the liver pump out more sugar.
Surprising Findings
Statins increase glucose production via autophagy, a process typically associated with health and longevity.
Autophagy is widely promoted as beneficial—anti-cancer, anti-aging—yet here it’s driving a key mechanism behind diabetes development.
Practical Takeaways
If you're on statins and have prediabetes or obesity, ask your doctor to monitor your fasting glucose and HbA1c regularly.
Publication
Journal
Autophagy
Year
2015
Authors
H. Wang, Jae Yeo Park, Obin Kwon, E. Choe, C. Kim, K. Hur, Myung-Shik Lee, M. Yun, B. Cha, Young-Bum Kim, Hyangkyu Lee, E. Kang
Related Content
Claims (6)
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition with statins modestly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly in individuals with pre-existing insulin resistance.
In mice that are overweight and have insulin problems, statins make their livers more active in making sugar, which worsens high blood sugar and insulin resistance.
Taking statins for a long time may cause the liver to make more sugar, which can raise blood sugar levels.
Statins seem to trigger a cellular cleanup process in the liver that accidentally makes the liver produce more sugar.
When key genes needed for cellular cleanup are turned off, statins can’t make the liver produce extra sugar anymore.