Salsalate for Type 2 Diabetes

The drug Salsalate has been around since the 1800's. Many physicians have called Salsalate, a 'miracle drug' and say that if it had been discovered in recent times, it would only be available by prescription.

This 'miracle drug' is from the family of salicylates commonly known to everyone as aspirin. Its traditional use has been to treat mild pain, reduce fever and to reduce inflammatory conditions. Recent research has found that Salsalate is helpful for a totally new condition: Type 2 Diabetes.

According to Dr. Steve Shoelson, a diabetes researcher, "None of the currently available medications are perfect, and one of the biggest problems we had with the current medications is they don't really treat the basic problem". This basic problem is a protein that triggers inflammation and is turned on in overweight people. The inflammation leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Salsalate shuts off that protein.

Nearly 21 million Americans are living with diabetes. Most of these diabetes (between 90%-95%) have type 2 diabetes. In this type of diabetes, the body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells are unable to use the insulin it does produce, properly. Sugar is the basic fuel for cells in the body and insulin is necessary for the body to use this sugar correctly. Insulin transports the sugar from the blood into the cells.

African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Some Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are at particular risk for type 2 diabetes. Also, children and adolescents are being diagnosed at an increasingly high rate. Some other risk factors for type 2 diabetes are: obesity, older age, family history, gestational diabetes, and physical inactivity.

Individuals affected with type 2 diabetes grow excessively thirsty, exhausted and confused. If the condition is not treated, the victim is at high risk for heart disease, stroke, blindness and amputations. About ¾ of all suffers are obese or overweight.

Dr. Shoelson and his team found that the inflammation that plays such a large part in the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes is activated by weight gain. The key is finding a way to reduce this inflammation by turning off the trigger. Salsalate has shown to significantly lower blood sugar levels. Shoelson says, "We have also seen lowering of inflammatory markers that we think indicate the basic pathology of the disease."

Salicylates are among the safest drugs known, and are also very inexpensive which makes this such a promising treatment. Shoelson warned about rushing out to get these drugs, and said losing weight, exercising, and eating healthy are the first things to do.

Researchers are excited about these findings and are preparing an experiment to test if salicylates can also reduce heart disease risk.