repost of mercola newsletter.

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Diabetes Link to Anti-Psychotic Drug Zyprexa

 

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Since the late 1980s new antipsychotic agents with different mechanisms of

action from conventional antipsychotics have been developed and widely adopted

in the treatment of schizophrenia. The main advantage of these newer

antipsychotics is a reduction of extrapyramidal side effects. Extrapyramidal

side effects (EPS) are the various movement disorders.

 

Common EPS are akathisia (restlessness), dystonia (muscular spasms of neck

(torticollis), eyes (oculogyric crisis), tongue, or jaw), Drug-Induced

Parkinsonian Syndrome (muscle stiffness, shuffling gait, drooling, tremour), and

tardive dyskinesia (involuntary, irregular muscle movements, usually in the

face).

 

However, they are associated with a different spectrum of side effects,

including:

 

Weight gain,

Diabetes,

High cholesterol,

Myocarditis, and

Cardiomyopathy.

 

These metabolic effects may pose a burden as serious as the extrapyramidal

effects.

 

As Prozac sales dive in the face of competition Zyprexa, one of the newer

schizophrenia treatments without the EPS side effects, has become the most

important drug for its maker, Lilly. Zyprexa worries were fanned by the recent

medical reports of diabetes incidence among Zyprexa patients. Researchers say

that blood-sugar problems also accompany other schizophrenia drugs.

 

What evidence shows that Zyprexa increases diabetes?

 

Evidence to date convinces leading psychiatry researchers that Zyprexa does pose

a greater risk of diabetes than other widely prescribed -- and equally effective

-- schizophrenia drugs. For the large number of psychiatric patients who have

pre-existing risk factors for diabetes or heart disease, informed psychiatrists

have started to prescribe the rival drugs.

 

Blaming any psychiatric drug for diabetes is complicated by other risk factors.

Apart from any drugs, the two million Americans with schizophrenia suffer more

diabetes and heart disease than does the general population. Lifestyle accounts

for some of the increased frequency of heart disease and diabetes among

schizophrenics. Such folks typically smoke more, eat unhealthy foods and get

less exercise. Patients receiving strong psychiatric drugs usually are obese at

an above-average rate.

 

British Medical Journal August 3, 2002;325(7358):243 (Full Text Article)

 

 

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

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This makes perfect sense to me. Drugs are in no way, shape or form the answer

for mental illness. They may control symptoms, but they do so at quite a

significant price, and one that many people are not willing to pay. Why exchange

one set of horrible side effects for diabetes?

 

This makes no sense to me, unless you are the drug company – and then it makes

perfects cents.

 

Fortunately, we do have some natural options. Dr. Stoll is the director of the

psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant

professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He discusses the use of

omega-3 extensively in his book The Omega-3 Connection. He reviews the new

evidence supporting the use of omega-3 oils for mental illness.

 

The book is excellent, but Dr. Stoll is seriously misinformed about cod liver

oil. This is especially true in terms of schizophrenia, which seems to respond

particularly well to therapeutic doses of vitamin D.

 

A study I posted earlier this year strongly connected the dots from not enough

sunshine and subsequent vitamin D to prevent schizophrenia.

 

Optimal exposure to sunlight can provide enough vitamin D, but for most of us

the winter provides a major lack of sun exposure and our levels fall in the

dirt. Fortunately, cod liver oil can be used to replace this level to near ideal

ranges.

 

There is some potential toxicity to vitamin D so you will want to be careful to

monitor your vitamin D level. You can read the article below for how to do that.

 

My favorite source of both omega-3 and vitamin D happens to be Carlson's cod

liver oil. If you can't get that in your local health food store we are now

carrying this on our site.

 

Related Articles:

 

Breakthrough Updates You Need to Know on Vitamin D

 

Your Chances of Developing Schizophrenia Depend on How Much Sunshine Your Mother

Received

 

 

Gettingwell- / Vitamins, Herbs, Aminos, etc.

 

To , e-mail to: Gettingwell-

Or, go to our group site: Gettingwell

 

 

 

 

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