Antidepressant Medication Associated with 30% Higher Diabetes Risk

Published: September 26, 2012
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In a study published in the journal Diabetes Research & Clinical Practice, researcher Lauren Brown concluded that people with a history of depression had a 30% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people without such a history. She also found that mixing tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs — such as Elavil) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs — such as Prozac) resulted in twice the diabetes risk of taking only one kind of antidepressant. Brown said it was not clear whether the patients' diabetes risk was increased by the drugs, or if some other factor, such as the depression itself, might be to blame.

I would note that as diabetes is associated with low testosterone in men, and low testosterone also causes depression (and likely also worsens diabetes in men), it makes sense to address even low normal testosterone levels. This can effectively help both the diabetes and depression by simply correcting the testosterone deficiency.

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

is one of the world's leading integrative medical authorities on fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. He is the lead author of eight research studies on their effective treatments, and has published numerous health & wellness books, including the bestseller on fibromyalgia From Fatigued to Fantastic! and The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. His newest book (June 10, 2024) is You Can Heal From Long COVID. Dr. Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted fibromyalgia experts in the world and appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and Fox News Health.

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