Your Antidepressant May Cause Diabetes
If you take an antidepressant, your chances of
getting diabetes are much higher. A new study from the Diabetes Prevention
Program, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, indicates that
antidepressants dramatically increase the risk of developing type-2 (onset)
diabetes, for those who are already at risk for the disease.
This new study puts conventional medicine between a rock and a hard place,
because antidepressants are the treatment of choice for most doctors... even
when treating depressed patients at risk for diabetes.
And that includes a lot of people with
depression.
Roughly 20 million Americans have clinical depression, and roughly 16 million
have diagnosed diabetes. These numbers overlap considerably. In addition, as
many as 100 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, which puts them at risk
for both diabetes and depression.
65% of Americans are now overweight, up 18% since just
1994.
30% of Americans are obese, up 30% since 1994.
Diabetes is now an epidemic in children.
5.1% of Americans have type 2 diabetes, a staggering 104%
increase from 1980 to 2004.
Over 100 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, or pre-diabetic
syndrome, a
risk factor for heart disease.
These trends are appearing throughout the
developed world.
What This Means For You:
If you are taking anti-depressants, your risk of
getting diabetes has significantly increased. You need to take regular fasting
blood sugar tests through your primary health care provider.
If you are struggling with both depression and
extra weight, as many people are, you should also regularly test your blood
sugar levels, since you may be one of the 100 million Americans (one third of
the population) that has metabolic syndrome, pre-diabetic syndrome, or syndrome
X (these are more or less the same condition).
You also should become very proactive in managing
any sign of high blood sugar, or pre-diabetic syndrome. First of all, cut
sugars, refined carbohydrates, and other high glycemic foods out of your diet.
Exercise every day. Supplements including chromium, alpha-lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine,
vanadium, cinnamon, and banaba may be helpful to you.
Please read our DISCLAIMER.
About the Author:
William Prescott is a health researcher and author. |
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