Statins are a class of drugs that lower the body’s cholesterol by interfering with the liver’s synthesis of cholesterol. One of its side effects is an increased risk of developing diabetes. Now, researchers have discovered the cause of this side effect and have provided a way to suppress it. As one of the most widely used drugs in the world, statins are popular in the medical community for their ability to prevent heart disease. Nonetheless, researchers who published their findings in the journal Diabetes were puzzled as to why diabetes was associated with statin use. ”Recently, increased risk of developing diabetes has been added to the safety warning label for statin applications,” said lead author Jonathan Schertzer, assistant professor of biochemistry and biomedical sciences and a scholar at the Canadian Diabetes Association. Amy G. Egan, PhD, deputy director of the FDA’s Division of Metabolic and Endocrine Product Safety, noted, “Clearly, we think the cardiac benefits of statins outweigh this small elevated risk (of diabetes onset). However, this means that patients’ blood glucose levels must be evaluated by patients taking statins and by health care professionals after statins are prescribed and treatment is initiated.” However, this pathway connecting statins and diabetes was unknown until Professor Schertzer and his research team conducted this latest study. Glibenclamide and statins together suppress immune response After further study, the team found that “statins activate a very specific immune response that prevents insulin from working properly,” Professor Schertzer said. The use of gliphenylurea along with statins suppressed this immune response.