Another article from the ADA, about estrogen replacement therapy's benefits in preventing diabetes. Further data supporting David Robinson's claim that SERM's will be one of the 2-3 largest markets in the pharma industry in the next decade ...
Estrogen Therapy Can Lower Risks of Diabetes, Studies Find
Chicago, June 14 (Bloomberg) -- Post-menopausal women who take estrogen replacement therapy can lower their risk of developing diabetes or lessen the severity of the disease if they do develop it, according to a newly released group of studies.
In one study, Kaiser Permanente looked at records of more than 14,000 women with diabetes over the age of 50 and found benefits for those on estrogen replacement therapy, such as American Home Product Corp.'s blockbuster drug Premarin.
The estrogen replacement patients had significantly better control of their blood sugar, ''reaching lower levels that have been associated with a sizable reduction in the risk of complications,'' said Joe Selby, assistant director for health services research in the research division at Kaiser, one of the nation's largest health-maintenance organizations.
Other smaller studies and surveys conducted at various universities found women who aren't on estrogen replacement therapy are as much as five times as likely to develop diabetes compared to women who are on estrogen therapy, the American Diabetes Association said.
Experts estimate that about 16 million Americans suffer from diabetes, in which patients either don't properly process or don't produce enough of the naturally occurring hormone insulin, which helps the body regulate blood sugar. Failure to control blood sugar levels can lead to complications including stroke, blindness and heart problems.
Researchers aren't quite sure how to explain the benefit they found. Some say estrogen may reduce the chance that the body will develop resistance to insulin. Others say estrogen has a beneficial effect on cells in the pancreas, which in turn affects insulin production.
In the past, researchers have found a slew of health benefits for estrogen replacement drugs, including protection against heart disease. Some women fret, however, over studies that have linked estrogen to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
The latest studies were released at the ADA's annual meeting in Chicago.
18:46:16 06/14/1998
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