The researchers of Maccabi Health Services, Tel Aviv believe that taking of statins reduces the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and furthermore, the younger one is when taking the treatment, the risk is even less. The study showed that taking statins regularly reduced the possibility of developing the condition by nearly half. The Israeli researchers went through 2,000,000 health records of patients who had been taking statins for cholesterol. Those who were taking the statins regularly were 42% less likely to develop the condition than those who took statins infrequently.
The leader of the research, Dr. Gabriel Chodick said that it is difficult to know whether people are susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis but if a genetic marker was identified in the future then statins might be the answer for the prevention of this debilitating condition. Statins appear to be ineffective in preventing osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear of the cartilage rather than an autoimmune attack on the joints that causes Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Although some patients taking statins experience side effects including trouble sleeping, low libido, and liver problems, the benefits far outweigh the side effects. By decreasing the inflammation of the joints, statins may serve to beat rheumatoid arthritis by easing the condition and maybe even preventing it.