People who take antidepressants may be at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, new research suggests.

Previous studies have looked at this issue, but findings have varied. As a result, scientists in the UK decided to look into it further. They assessed the results of over 20 studies that focused on this subject.

They found that people who take antidepressants are at an increased risk of having type 2 diabetes. However, it was not clear whether the drugs were responsible.

Furthermore, different types of antidepressants may involve different risks, they warned.

The scientists from the University of Southampton said that there are ‘several plausible' reasons why antidepressants may increase the risk of diabetes. For example, a number of antidepressants are associated with weight gain, which is known to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

However a number of studies that focused on this link still showed an increased risk of diabetes, even after weight was taken into account.

"Our research shows that when you take away all the classic risk factors of type 2 diabetes - weight gain, lifestyle etc... - there is something about antidepressants that appears to be an independent risk factor," noted Dr Katharine Barnard of the University of Southampton.

She said that with so many people now using antidepressants, ‘this potential increased risk (of diabetes) is worrying'.

"Heightened alertness to the possibility of diabetes in people taking antidepressants is necessary until further research is conducted," she warned.

The scientists called on doctors who have prescribed antidepressants to their patients to be aware of this potential risk ‘and take steps to monitor for diabetes and reduce that risk through lifestyle modification'.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Diabetes Care.

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