New Study Shows Antidepressants Increase The Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes In Children And Youth

New Study Shows Antidepressants Increase the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Youth

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics has asked whether antidepressants increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in youths. Mehmet Burcu, Ph.D., and the other researchers at the University of Maryland in Baltimore and John Hopkins who conducted the study found that the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in youths aged 5 to 20 years nearly doubled among current users of antidepressants and the risk intensified with increasing duration of use, cumulative dose, and average daily dose. “Overall,” the authors write, “when compared with former use, current use of antidepressants was associated with a 1.92-fold increased risk of type 2 diabetes.”
The researchers examined Medicaid claim files from California, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2009 and restricted the study to 119,608 patients who were 5 to 20 years of age who initiated treatment with antidepressants between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2009. The classes of antidepressants included in the study were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic or other cyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and other antidepressants. According to the researchers, “The risk of type 2 diabetes was significantly greater during current use than former use of SSRIs or SNRIs and tricyclic or other cyclic antidepressants.” Furthermore, risk of diabetes significantly increased among youth with an average daily dose of SSRI and SNRI of more than 150 days of use. In other words, if a child (5-20 years old) were to u Continue reading

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Can sweat patches revolutionise diabetes?

Scientists have developed a sensor that can monitor blood sugar levels by analysing sweaty skin.
But rather than a gym-soaked t-shirt, it needs just one millionth of a litre of sweat to do the testing.
The team - in South Korea - showed the sensor was accurate and think it could eventually help patients with diabetes.
And in extra tests on mice, the sensor was hooked up to a patch of tiny needles to automatically inject diabetes medication.
The team at the Seoul National University were trying to overcome the need for "painful blood collection" needed in diabetes patients.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system attacking the part of the body that controls blood sugar levels
Type 2 diabetes is often caused by lifestyle damaging the body's ability to control blood sugar levels
Patients with both conditions need to medically control their blood sugar levels to prevent damage to the body and even death
This is how patients with diabetes would normally keep track of blood sugar levels:
And this could be the future:
The sensor is flexible so it can move with the skin it is stuck onto.
However, the scientists needed to overcome a series of challenges to make it work.
There is less sugar in sweat than blood so it is harder to find, and other chemicals in sweat such as lactic acid can disrupt the results.
So the patch has three sensors keeping track of sugar levels, four that test the acidity of the sweat and a humidity sensor to analyse the amount of sweat.
It is all encased in a porous layer that allows the sweat to soak through and bathe the electronics.
All this informat Continue reading

Diabetes device scrutinizes sweat for a week at a time

While there are already biosensors that help people manage type 2 diabetes, they're single-use devices that have to be replaced on a daily basis. That could be about to change, however, thanks to research being conducted by scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas. Led by Prof. Shalini Prasad, they've created a diabetes-monitoring tool that's good for up to a week.
Worn on the wrist like a bracelet, the biosensor utilizes a gel known as room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) to analyze minute amounts of sweat on the skin. In doing so, it measures concentrations of three interconnected compounds – cortisol, glucose and interleukin-6.
"If a person has chronic stress, their cortisol levels increase, and their resulting insulin resistance will gradually drive their glucose levels out of the normal range," says Prasad. "At that point, one could become pre-diabetic, which can progress to type 2 diabetes, and so on. If that happens, your body is under a state of inflammation, and this inflammatory marker, interleukin-6, will indicate that your organs are starting to be affected."
Ultimately, it is envisioned that the device will contain a small transceiver, allowing it to transmit data to a smartphone app at the push of a button.
"If you measure levels every hour on the hour for a full week, that provides 168 hours' worth of data on your health as it changes," states Prasad. "People can take more control and improve their own self-care. A user could learn which unhealthy decisions are more forgiven by their body than others."
Plans call for the device to be inexpensively Continue reading

7 Herbs that Will Help You Treat Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes.
This illness comes along with elevated blood glucose levels when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or when insulin is improperly processed by your body.
This keeps the glucose in your blood instead of burning it for energy.
To prevent this type of diabetes, it is recommended to exercise and eat a healthy diet. However, if you want to go further, you should learn about certain herbs that can help you treat type 2 diabetes.
Just remember that none of these herbs can stand in for medical treatment. It’s about giving your body some extra help, not ignoring medical advice.
1. Turmeric
The first herb we’ll tell you about that can help you treat type 2 diabetes is turmeric. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is appreciated for its numerous health benefits.
Because it is an anti-inflammatory, turmeric is recommended for arthritis and cardiovascular illnesses.
Thanks to its active compound, curcumin, it helps lower blood sugar levels.
All you have to do is consume a bit of turmeric every day to help lower glucose levels and help stop the advance of diabetes.
“Check this out too: Benefits of Turmeric Vs. These 7 Medications”
2. Ginger
Another herb that can help with type 2 diabetes is ginger. It is associated with the ability to relieve everything from a cold to digestive problems.
Over the years there have also been studies done to dig deeper into the properties of this root and several of them have shown that it helps treat type 2 diabetes.
A good way to take advantage of the powers of ginger are to take 1/2 teaspoon (2 g Continue reading

8 Natural Remedies for Type 2 Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million people in the United States have diabetes, with about 90 to 95% having type 2 diabetes. Sugar, in the form of glucose, is the main source of fuel for body cells. The hormone insulin allows glucose in the blood to enter cells. In type 2 diabetes, either the body doesn't produce enough insulin or cells are resistant to effects of insulin.
As a result, glucose builds up in the blood instead of entering cells, which causes cells to be deprived of energy. If high glucose levels in the blood persist, it may damage the eyes, heart, kidneys, or nerves.
Alternative Treatments for Diabetes
So far, scientific support for the claim that any remedy can treat diabetes is lacking. It's important to note that self-treating with alternative medicine and avoiding or delaying standard care may be harmful to your health.
That said, here are some natural treatments that are being explored:
Ginseng
Although there are several different types of ginseng, most of the promising studies on ginseng and diabetes have used North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius). Those studies have shown that North American ginseng may improve blood sugar control and glycosylated hemoglobin (a form of hemoglobin in the blood used to monitor blood glucose levels over time) levels.
Chromium
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism and helps body cells properly respond to insulin. In fact, studies have found low levels of chromium in people with diabetes.
There are many promising Continue reading