Avandia and Actos, two diabetes drugs, double the risk of bone
fractures in women with type 2 diabetes, according to a new report by
researchers at Wake Forest University and Britain's University of East
Anglia.
The researchers analyzed 10 studies of more than 14,000 diabetes
patients and found that both Avandia and Actos doubled women's risk of
bone fractures, but had no effect on men's risk of bone fractures.
Researchers stated that the underlying cause of the sex-specific effect
on fractures was unclear, but they suggested the drugs may cause the
problem by replacing bone marrow with fat cells.
Other well-known concerns about these medications include weight
gain, increased risk of heart failure, and expense of around $110 per
month. This new study highlights the need to promote the effectiveness
of lifestyle modifications in managing type 2 diabetes. PCRM's recent
study, published in the
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, showed the beneficial effects of a low-fat vegan diet for type 2 diabetes, without any harmful side effects.
Singh S, Loke YK. The safety of rosiglitazone in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes.
Pharma Sci. 2008;7(5):579-585.
Turner-McGrievy GM, Barnard
ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJA, Gloede L, Green AA. Changes in nutrient
intake and dietary quality among participants with type 2 diabetes
following a low-fat vegan diet or a conventional diabetes diet for 22
weeks.
J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:1636-1645.
For information about nutrition and health, please visit www.pcrm.org/.
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