An aspirin a day could keep diabetes at bay: study

CBC ^ | April 29, 2008 | staff

[fightinJAG]

Taking aspirin and aspirin-like compounds called salicylates can help obese people produce insulin and potentially stave off diabetes, finds a new study.

Previous studies have shown that aspirin can decrease blood sugar in diabetics. New research conducted by Spanish researchers finds that healthy obese people who take aspirin actually increase their levels of insulin, reducing the chance of developing insulin resistance. During insulin resistance, the body produces too little of the hormone and fails to effectively regulate the metabolism of fats, proteins and sugars.

[Judith Anne]

Remember Claus von Bulow, whose wife Sonny ended up in a coma?

Iirc, from the trial, one theory was that she was taking insulin for weight control, combined that with aspirin and went into a coma.

Of course, I always thought Claus did it for the money.

[apt4truth]

"New research conducted by Spanish researchers finds that healthy obese people who take aspirin actually increase their levels of insulin, reducing the chance of developing insulin resistance."

What if you are a healthy non-obese person? Same results?

[Viking2002]

Interesting. Another reason to add an aspirin to my handful of morning pharmaceuticals. I kicked Glucovance three years ago when I dropped 40 pounds and started hitting the gym three days a week. In fact, at my six-month yesterday, my A1c was a nice, healthy 6.0 and my plasma glucose was 99. BP 130/70. I think I'll add a Bayer to help keep it that way.

[Global2010]

Diabetic Ping.

What dose?
What about stomach bleeds?

[eyedigress]

I started my own regimen of St. Josephs a couple of weeks ago to combat some leg swelling. My doctor is an idiot who said it was due to gravity. Phhtttt! (I’m 6’3, 200lbs and seeking a new doctor)

[fightinJAG]

Congratulations!

[kcvl]

They administered a 600 milligram dose of triflusal, a 900 milligram dose or a placebo to groups of the participants. They found that the higher the dose of salicylate, the lower the level of blood sugar and the higher the level of insulin in the participants’ bloodstreams.

[fightinJAG]

The article talked about salicyclic (sp?) acids, the main component of aspirin.

The other day I was checking out a bottle of Pepto-Bismal and noticed that it now has a “don’t use if you shouldn’t take aspirin” warning on it because of the sal acid. I guess where I’m going with this is I wonder if a person could take “aspirin” without taking aspirin. Such as a tsp of Pepto-Bismal, for example.

[fightinJAG]

more info here

[mass55th]

People who take anti-inflammatory medications aren’t supposed to take aspirin because they contain aspirin components.

[Viking2002]

Danke schoen. Diabetes - of either flavor - is an insidious disease, as incapacitating and deadly as any other out there. And you don't need to be a junk food-snarfing butterball to develop it. The part of the 40 pounds I'd lost was clinically attributed to the medication. And at the onset, I was actually 25 lbs. lighter than I am now, and walked a lot - as in a quarter mile at a time - in the job I held. It was only afterwards I started gaining weight, believe it or not. I didn't find out until I'd spoken to my mother about it, that it was hereditary on her side of the family. I didn't even know she was Type II until I called to tell her, and she's a retired RN, so she knows how to take care of herself. And for anyone out there that may wonder if you're pre-disposed to it, here's a few questions to ask yourself:

Are you always thirsty?

Do you always feel fatigued, moreso than you'd think you would at your level of activity?

Do you urinate frequently?

Do you find yourself getting up several times a night to do so, even if it's only a few dribbles?

Have you noticed any weight loss (or gain) over the last year or so that you can't attribute to a work, diet, or lifestyle change?

And, (this is the one that finally got my attention):

Have you noticed any injuries (insect bites, cuts, scrapes, bruises) on your lower extremities - below the knee - that just don't seem to heal quickly, are always re-scabbing, and/or leave a noticeable scar once they do?

If you answered yes to two or more, I'd suggest a simple sugar test at the local clinic. If you answered yes to all of them, run - do not walk - to your doctor's office. I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but as anyone who lives with a disease can tell you, you get educated about it as part of the recovery, rehab, and preventative therapy process. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone, especially FReepers.

[Aunt Polgara]

Another thing to look for is a change in vision, and I’m not talking about just having to hold the book farther away as you age.

[ottbmare]

Your plasma glucose is 99? Mine is too, and my doctor is telling me to get it down because I am officially “pre-diabetic.” Apparently people whose blood sugar is in the 99-105 range are definitely destined for DMII if they don’t get it down.

[OeOeO]

That happened to me, I was on a daily aspirin regimen, until I herniated a disk, Aspirin was verboten with the medication I was prescribed, I also had to get a steroid epidural and told not to take aspirin up to a week before the shots as it thins the blood. I was also warned
that St John's Wart , which I take occasionally will also thin the blood. The good thing about the steroid shot it cleared my psoriasis almost instantly.

[dixiechick2000]

Congratulations!
That was no mean feat!

The main reason I’ve been a stickler for keeping weight off is that my sister was a type 1 brittle diabetic.
God love her...life was not easy for her.
Even so, she never complained...just did what she had to do.

I knew I didn’t want to live her life, though.

I wish you much continued success!

[Arthur McGowan]

I thought insulin resistance had to do with the cells’ ability to respond to insulin, not low levels of insulin. Is the article garbled on this point?

[Paleo Conservative]

I wonder how restricted and how expensive aspirin would be if it were a new drug?

[lonestar]

Several years ago weren’t they treating ulcers with Pepto-Bismal?...I could have that mixed up with something else. I’ve never had an ulcer.

[kruss3]

In the 1870’s the folks from Bayer isolated apirin from the bark of aspen trees. Within a decade the benefit of aspirin on diabetes was well known. About twenty 325 mg pills per day would return blood glucose levels to normal. The only problem was that the aspirin would destroy the kidney.