Diabetes treatment 'the sooner the better'

Early treatment of diabetes is important for the long-term management of symptoms, according to a new report.

Research published in the journal Diabetes Care found that the sooner the drug metformin – a recommended treatment for type-2 diabetes - is taken to treat the condition, the longer it will remain effective without the need for additional medicines.

Lead author of the study Dr Jonathan Brown confirmed that maximum benefit from the medication is relative to its duration and stages of use.

He said: "We believe that starting the drug early preserves the body's own ability to control blood sugar, which in turn prevents the long-term complications of diabetes like heart disease, kidney failure, and blindness."

Type-2 diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce enough insulin. It normally affects adults above the age of 40, but is becoming increasingly common among younger South Asian people.

A healthy diet and regular exercise is essential to reducing the risk of developing diabetes.

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