According to recent findings by a team of French researchers, antipsychotic drug olanzapine could increase the risk of patients developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes .
The French research team investigated the affects of the drug on male rats, and noticed a significant increase in blood sugar levels. Although these rats did not gain weight or ingest more food, the level of food stored in abdominal cavity was significantly higher.
Senior study author Dominique Hermier, from the Department of Human Nutrition at the INRA, was reported as commenting: “Based on these findings, we concluded that male rats treated with olanzapine experienced an early disruption of energy metabolism. This was a result of the fat tissue we observed and the impairment in blood sugar regulation which are both associated with metabolic syndrome and subsequent risk of diabetes .”

Get our free newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest news, research and breakthroughs.