Q. I’m confused about the connection between diet, statins (Crestor) and blood sugar levels. I’ve taken Crestor for three years, after several years of trying unsuccessfully to lower my cholesterol levels with a very low fat diet.
On Crestor the cholesterol came down quickly, but now I’m getting “prediabetic” readings (around 110) on my fasting blood glucose.
My doctor has suggested I go on a low-carb diet, which is the opposite of what I’ve been trying to do for so long. Is it really OK to eat meat, cheese and eggs while I’m on Crestor? I don’t think I can avoid fat and carbs at the same time.
A. Crestor and Lipitor (and other statins) may raise blood sugar (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, March 23, 2010). A low-carb diet has been shown to improve blood fats as well as blood sugar (Diabetes, Obesity & Metabolism, March, 2010).
Another reader reported this experience: “Twenty years of a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet did not work. My cholesterol was as high as 330 and my triglycerides were 800.
“When I got fed up and started eating eggs, my cholesterol went down. The body needs cholesterol and will make it if you don’t eat it.”