A new study from Denmark suggests that one type of diabetes drug may help protect people with type 2 diabetes from developing foot problems.
The study looked at two popular types of diabetes medications: SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists. It found that people who took SGLT-2 inhibitors had a slightly lower risk of foot disease, especially nerve damage, after three years of use.
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition where the body does not use insulin properly. Over time, this can lead to high blood sugar levels, which may cause damage to different parts of the body. One serious complication is diabetic foot disease.
This can include nerve damage, foot ulcers, poor circulation in the legs, infections, and in severe cases, even amputations. Taking care of the feet is very important for people with diabetes.
Researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital wanted to know if one medication might help more than the other when it comes to foot health. To find out, they studied health records from more than 84,000 adults in Denmark who started taking either SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists between 2013 and 2023.
They followed these patients for up to six years. During that time, they found that about 10.8% of people who took SGLT-2 inhibitors developed foot problems, while 12% of those who took GLP-1 receptor agonists did. The small difference seemed to be mostly due to fewer cases of nerve damage among those taking SGLT-2 inhibitors.
However, the study showed that the number of people with other serious foot issues—like ulcers, blocked leg arteries, amputations, or death—was about the same in both groups. This means that while there might be a slight benefit in terms of nerve health, both types of drugs performed similarly when it came to other foot complications.
The researchers also mentioned that other factors may have affected the results. For example, some patients may have stopped taking their medication early, switched between the two types of drugs, or had differences in how often doctors checked their feet. Because of this, it’s not completely clear if one drug is truly better than the other.
Still, this study adds to growing evidence that diabetes drugs can offer more benefits than just controlling blood sugar. Both SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists are already known to help with heart and kidney health, and now there is some early evidence they may also play a role in protecting the feet.
This information can help doctors and patients make better choices about which treatment to use, especially for people who may be more likely to develop diabetic foot disease. But more research is needed to fully understand these possible benefits and to confirm if one drug really is better than the other in the long run.
In summary, while the difference in foot health between the two drug types is small, it’s still a valuable finding. Preventing nerve damage in the feet can make a big difference in quality of life for people living with type 2 diabetes. Doctors can use this knowledge, along with other health factors, to help choose the best treatment for their patients.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
The study is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
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