Women with type 2 diabetes who take two popular prescription medications for their condition may increase their risk of suffering a bone fracture, new research reveals.
A study conducted at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in conjunction with the University of East Anglia found that using GlaxoSmithKlines Avandia and Takedas Actos for a long period could boost their chances of suffering a fracture by 200 percent.
The medications in question are thiazolidinedione (TZD) drugs, which have also been linked to heart-related side effects.
Lead researcher Sonal Singhe told Reuters that the drugs which are prescribed to lower blood sugar “double the risk of fractures in women with type 2 diabetes, who are already at higher risk before taking the therapy.”
The findings, published in the Canadian Medical Journal, were based an analysis of clinical studies involving 14,000 people.
There are a number of options available for those who want to lower their blood sugar naturally, without the use of prescription drugs. Natural supplements containing cinnamon and chromium are one option.