Avandia Meeting Monday

An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration will meet Monday to discuss Avandia a diabetes medication. They will also discuss the safety of Actos a diabetes drug, reported the USA Today.

They will hear from Steven Nissen of Cleveland Clinic whose study touched off a firestorm about the safety of the two drugs. The panel could recommend no change up to withdrawal of the drugs from the market. Glaxo-Kline continues to hold steadfast their drugs are safe.

Cornell U Study Says Selenium Could Promote Diabetes

Researchers at Cornell University have found that, "higher than normal amounts of selenium, an antioxidant, could promote type 2 diabetes. Mice administered the selenium enzyme developed the precursors of diabetes at a much higher rate than did control mice.

Selenium could damage cell membranes and genetic material and lead to the development of cancer and heart disease.

Xingen Lei, associate professor of animal science at Cornell, said,"Although antioxidants are beneficial for health, too many may be harmful and we need to be more cautious in making recommendations to supplement the diet with them". Lei said more research is needed before people blindly supplement their diets with antioxidants like selenium.

You can read the full report in the June 15 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences or the Cornell, or a report on the Cornell study at:
http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/04/6.17.04/selenium_diabetes.html

Water, Water Everywhere!

The risk of dehydration is higher for diabetics, and even greater when running high blood sugars on a hot summer day. High glucose levels trigger the body to draw extra water from the cells to flush out the glucose, which is then excreted in urine. This process requires the body to use its stored fluid. High blood sugars combined with sweating and inadequate fluid intake can quickly lead to dehydration or even severe hydration (dangerous).
As the dog days of July are upon us, here are a few reminders on staying hydrated:
Try for eight cups of fluid per day, even more when hot and sweaty.
Any non-caffeinated fluid counts. Water is terrific, but you won't get busted by the Dehydration Police if you sip on decaf iced tea or another sugar-free favorite.

From the Diabetes Blog http://thediabetesbolg.com/

Avandia Linked to Bone Fractures in Men

This from medtrackalert.com:


"A small clinical study suggests that the diabetes med Avandia may increase the risk of bone fractures in men as well as women. This analysis of 32 patients' data follows a 2006 study that suggested Avandia was linked to fractures in older female diabetics. Critics of the study say that the study group is too small and the data too old to be accurate. (The Times) UPDATED 2007-07-03"