Studies into antidepressants show link to increased diabetes risk

Two new studies have found a connection between the long-term use of antidepressants and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes . It was found that people taking antidepressants were more likely to develop the disease than non-users, although there is no proof that the medications are causing the increase in diabetes .
The research, published in the journal Diabetes Care, examined data on over 150,000 adults in Finland over a five-year period, during which 851 were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the start of the study, 9,197 individuals were seen as longer-term users of antidepressants, and it was found that they were more likely to develop diabetes during the study period, with the odds increasing in line with length of use.
However, the researchers, led by Mika Kivimaki of the University College London, admit that other factors could be raising their odds of developing diabetes, such as the fact that people who take antidepressants may be more likely to visit the doctor, leading to a great chance of being diagnosed with diabetes or other medical conditions .
In another recent study at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, scientists undertook a clinical trial of people who were at high risk of diabetes due to being overweight or having high blood sugar levels, and where nearly 6 per cent were using an antidepressant regularly. It was found that patients who were consistently on antidepressants during the study period were about twice as likely as non-users to develop diabetes over 10 years.