Taking an aspirin a day could keep diabetes away

New research revealed that taking an aspirin every day can reduce the risk of developing diabetes in later life. According to a survey of 16,209 healthy adults aged 65 and over from Australia and the US participated in the study, half of them were given a modest dose of 100mg daily, while the other half received a placebo.
Over a follow-up period of five years, the aspirin group were 15 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and their average blood sugar levels were lower.
Aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers as well as preventing recurrent strokes and heart attacks.
However, because of dangerous side effects like brain bleeding and stomach ulcers, the anti-inflammatory drug is not frequently used as a preventive therapy in otherwise healthy adults. The evidence around aspirin and diabetes had previously been uncertain but experts said that the new study now shows it “has the potential to prevent type 2 diabetes”. Nearly five million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes, which is caused by poor diet and obesity.
Professor Sophia Zoungas, the study’s lead author, from Monash University in Melbourne said: “Given the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes among older adults, the potential for anti-inflammatory agents like aspirin to prevent type 2 diabetes or improve glucose levels needs further study.”
“Although these new findings are of interest, they do not change the clinical advice about aspirin use in older people at this time.”