The Hazards of Lipitor: Lipitor and other statins have been shown to increase risk of Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. The trend is stronger for post-menopausal women, who in one study had a 50% greater risk of developing the disease than comparable women who did not take the drug. A Type 2 diabetic either cannot produce enough insulin, or cannot use the insulin that she produces. And insulin is needed to convert glucose into energy. Normally the digestive tract breaks down sugars and starches into glucose, and then insulin helps extract the glucose and transport it to the cells. Type 2 diabetes prevents that process from occurring. Symptoms of Lipitor-induced diabetes include thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue, weight loss, blurred vision, darkened patches of skin, frequent infections, and slow-healing heal sores.
