As per reports, cholesterol lowering statins used by millions across the world cuts the chance of having arthritis by half.

The novel discovery increases expectations that the drugs could be used to stop or postpone the beginning of the crippling condition, which distresses 350,000 in Britain alone.

A breakthrough is vital as arthritis has no known cure. Existing treatments can trigger heart attacks and strokes, reports the Daily Mail.

Israeli scientists dredged almost 2 million health records for information on arthritis-free patients who had on statins to put control on their cholesterol level.

Those who took the drugs on a regular basis were 42% less likely to have rheumatoid arthritis as compared to those who took them only occasionally.

The younger a person was when they started on statins, the greater the benefits to their joints.

The link held true even when factors such as age and other health problems were taken into account.

The research showed that statins were not effectual against osteoarthritis, the most common type of the condition, caused not by the immune system, but by wear and tear of the cartilage.

The researchers, from the Maccabi Healthcare Services in Tel Aviv, believe statins may counter rheumatoid arthritis by tackling inflammation. (With Inputs From Agencies)