| Metformin, restless leg syndrome and genetics |
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At the end of 2015, research found that metformin could increase life expectancy. Now we're hearing that it can help people with diabetes recover from heart attacks. We're not saying metformin has magical properties, but...
Apparently metformin is even better if you take it alongside Invokana, according to new research. Invokana, for those of you unfamiliar with it, is an SGLT2 inhibitor, which means it lowers blood glucose levels by helping the kidneys get rid of blood sugar.
Metformin may have stolen the headlines, but it was also an interesting week for genetics and epigenetics. And, frankly, they're a little bit complicated. We put our thinking caps on and delved into the studies.
In short: the first study, conducted at the University of Massachusetts, found that there is a genetic connection between type 2 diabetes and some mental health disorders. The second found a new biomarker for type 2 diabetes. This could be useful for two reasons: one, it makes diagnosing type 2 diabetes easier and more effective; and two, it could improve treatments.
And for those of you on insulin: a new study has found that people worldwide have limited access to insulin, despite it being listed as an "essential medicine" by the World Health Organisations (WHO). Want to know why? Read this.
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