Mixed
Lower LDL-cholesterol levels causally protect against type-2 diabetes, which may explain the increased T2D risk observed with statin therapy.
If you are taking statins for cholesterol, be aware that they may slightly increase your risk of type-2 diabetes. Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels is advisable. Do not stop medication without consulting your doctor, as the cardiovascular benefits often outweigh this risk.
We identify a number of causal associations including a protective effect of LDL-cholesterol against type-2 diabetes (T2D) that might explain the side effects of statins on T2D.
Why this rating
Uses large-scale GWAS summary data and Mendelian randomization. The effect was significant in case-control data and meta-analyzed community data.
Source
Causal associations between risk factors and common diseases inferred from GWAS summary data
Zhihong Zhu et al. · Nature Communications · 2018
DOI 10.1038/s41467-017-02317-2
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