A recent study suggests that taking a small daily dose of aspirin (100 mg) may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in older adults. Researchers found that those who took aspirin were 15% less likely to develop diabetes compared to those who did not.
The study will be presented at this year’s Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany, from October 2 to 6, 2023.
The study was led by Professor Sophia Zoungas from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The researchers believe these findings suggest that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs could play a role in preventing diabetes. However, they also caution that more research is needed before making any new recommendations.
Background and Study Details
Aspirin is a common medication used to reduce pain and inflammation. It is also widely prescribed to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Some scientists have been interested in whether aspirin’s anti-inflammatory effects might also help prevent diabetes.
Inflammation is believed to play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, so reducing inflammation in the body could potentially lower the risk of the disease.
To explore this idea, the researchers analyzed data from the ASPREE trial, a large study originally designed to examine whether daily aspirin could help older adults live healthier lives.
The ASPREE trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which means that neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was taking aspirin and who was taking a placebo (a pill with no active ingredients).
The main findings of the ASPREE trial were published in 2018 and showed that aspirin increased the risk of major bleeding in older adults without providing any clear heart health benefits.
For this new study, the researchers followed 16,209 adults aged 65 and older who did not have diabetes at the start of the trial. Half of the participants (8,086 people) were given 100 mg of aspirin daily, while the other half (8,123 people) were given a placebo. The participants were monitored for an average of 4.7 years.
The researchers defined a new case of diabetes based on three factors:
- A doctor’s diagnosis of diabetes
- The start of diabetes medication
- A fasting blood sugar level of 7.0 mmol/L or higher during annual health check-ups
At the end of the study, 995 participants had developed diabetes. Among those who took aspirin, 459 developed diabetes, compared to 536 in the placebo group. This means the aspirin group had a 15% lower risk of developing diabetes. The researchers also found that those taking aspirin had a slower increase in fasting blood sugar levels over time.
What Do These Findings Mean?
These results suggest that aspirin might have a protective effect against type 2 diabetes in older adults. The researchers believe that aspirin’s anti-inflammatory properties may play a role in slowing the progression of high blood sugar and the development of diabetes.
However, despite these interesting findings, Professor Zoungas emphasizes that aspirin is not currently recommended for diabetes prevention. The original ASPREE trial showed that aspirin increases the risk of serious bleeding, especially in the stomach and intestines.
Because of this, current medical guidelines advise older adults to take aspirin only if they have a medical reason, such as a history of heart disease.
While the results provide new insights into the relationship between inflammation and diabetes, they do not change current medical advice. More research is needed to determine whether aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs could be used safely to prevent diabetes without increasing the risk of bleeding.
For now, experts recommend that older adults follow existing health guidelines and speak with their doctors before considering any changes to their aspirin use.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that pomace olive oil could help lower blood cholesterol, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that blueberries strongly benefit people with metabolic syndrome, and results showing eggs in a plant-based diet may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.
The research findings can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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