Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 23, 2025
08:13
Study of In Vivo Glucose Metabolism in High-fat Diet-fed Mice Using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test OGTT and Insulin Tolerance Test ITT
Published on: January 7, 2018
69.8K
Statins Are Associated With Increased Insulin Resistance and Secretion.
Fahim Abbasi1,2,3,4, Cindy Lamendola1,2,3, Chelsea S Harris1,3
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (F. Abbasi, C.L., C.S.H., V.H., P.T., F. Abbas, G.M.R., J.W.K.), Stanford University, CA.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
|August 26, 2021
Summary
High-intensity atorvastatin increases insulin resistance and insulin secretion in individuals without type 2 diabetes. This may explain the increased diabetes risk associated with statin use over time.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Syndrome
Background:
- Statins reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.
- Statin use is linked to a modest increase in type 2 diabetes risk, particularly in insulin-resistant individuals.
- The physiological mechanism behind this increased diabetes risk is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physiological mechanism underlying the increased risk of type 2 diabetes associated with statin treatment.
- To determine how atorvastatin affects insulin resistance and insulin secretion.
Main Methods:
- An open-label clinical trial involving 75 adults without prior cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.
- Participants received atorvastatin 40 mg daily for 10 weeks.
- Insulin resistance and secretion were measured using insulin suppression and graded-glucose infusion tests, respectively.
Main Results:
- Atorvastatin significantly reduced LDL-cholesterol but did not alter body weight.
- A median 8% increase in insulin resistance (steady-state plasma glucose) was observed (P=0.01).
- A median 9% increase in insulin secretion (ISRAUC) was also noted (P<0.001), along with small increases in glucose and fasting insulin levels.
Conclusions:
- High-intensity atorvastatin therapy for 10 weeks increases both insulin resistance and insulin secretion in non-diabetic individuals.
- The increased risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes with statins may occur in individuals unable to sustain compensatory insulin secretion despite rising insulin resistance.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
986
Hyperlipidemia, a medical condition often referred to as high cholesterol, is characterized by abnormally elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream. When present in excess, these lipids, specifically cholesterol and triglycerides, can lead to serious health complications, often involving cardiovascular diseases. Illnesses like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and pancreatitis have all been linked to untreated hyperlipidemia. This means controlling and regulating cholesterol and triglyceride...
986
01:26Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
353
Biguanides, particularly metformin (Glucophage), are insulin sensitizers that enhance glucose uptake, thereby reducing insulin resistance. Unlike sulfonylureas, metformin doesn't prompt insulin secretion, which helps to curb hypoglycemia risk. Metformin is beneficial in treating conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome due to its insulin-resistance reduction capability. The drug's primary action involves curtailing hepatic gluconeogenesis, a significant contributor to high blood...
353
01:23Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 Inhibitors
300
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) is a serine protease widely distributed in the body. It's involved in the inactivation of GLP-1 and GIP hormones, which are crucial for insulin regulation. DPP-4 inhibitors, such as sitagliptin (Januvia), saxagliptin (Onglyza), linagliptin (Tradjenta), alogliptin (Nesina), and vildagliptin (Galvus), help increase the proportion of active GLP-1, enhancing insulin secretion. These inhibitors work by competitively binding to DPP-4. This binding causes a...
300
01:05Insulin Secretory Vesicles
6.0K
Insulin secretory vesicles release insulin to stimulate blood glucose uptake and regulate carbohydrate metabolism. When the blood glucose levels increase, glucose enters the pancreatic β-islet cells through glucose transporters. Once inside, glucose is metabolized through glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain, producing ATP. This increase in ATP concentration closes ATP-sensitive potassium channels, leading to depolarization of the membrane and the opening of...
6.0K
01:27Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion
1.6K
The pancreatic islets comprising only 1%-2% of the volume are highly vascularized and innervated mini-organs. They contain five endocrine cell types, including β cells that secrete insulin, which is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain, preproinsulin, processed to proinsulin, and finally to insulin and C-peptide. This process is complex and regulated, involving the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the secretory granules of the β cell.
Insulin and C-peptide are...
Insulin and C-peptide are...
1.6K
01:29Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation
773
Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
Considering cholesterol and...
773