I don’t usually recommend new drugs. But I am not just another “natural-know-it-all,” who doesn’t recognize an appropriate drug therapy when I see it.
Take Type II diabetes, for example. It’s a leading cause of death in the United States. And just too big of a problem not to do everything you can to control it. Including drug therapy.
As I’ve said before, the Type II diabetes drug metformin is safe and effective. And it’s based on a natural remedy called French lilac, or goat’s rue. Men and women in Europe used it medicinally for centuries. And continue to use it today.
A few decades ago, Big Pharma used French lilac to develop the modern drug we know today. Very quickly, it became the standard oral treatment for Type II diabetes.
In a recent issue of my Insiders’ Cures newsletter, I also pointed out that metformin even appears to reduce your risk of cancer. And now, it appears you get another “bonus” side effect when you take metformin.
At a recent meeting of the American Diabetes Association, researchers presented a new meta-analysis on metformin. Their research links metformin with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease events.
This finding is especially important, since the newer diabetes drug, Rosiglitazone (Avandia), appears to increase the risk of heart attacks and heart failure.
For the analysis, the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyons, France examined the safety of several different diabetes drugs. Researchers looked at 29 different studies.
They found that men and women who took metformin had a 10 percent reduced risk of heart disease. And a 10 percent reduced risk of heart failure. And a 12 percent reduced risk of heart attack.
By contrast, men and women who took Avandia had a 21 percent increased risk of heart disease. And a 27 percent increased risk of heart failure. And a 17 percent increased risk of heart attack.
Overall, the study found the outlook for patients with Type II diabetes is improving. But no thanks to the new drug.
If you have Type II diabetes, stick with the old standby–metformin–to manage your blood sugar. And rest assured, you’re also improving your cancer risk and lowering your risk of suffering a cardiac event at the same time.
Source:
- “Safety of glucose-lowering medications: The Diabetes Adverse Event Monitor (DIABAMON) project: II cardiovascular disease,” American Diabetes Association 2013 Scientific Sessions; June 23, 2013: Abstract 1405-P.