For some people with type 2 diabetes, the use of drugs may do more harm to their quality of life than good, a new study suggests.

According to UK and US scientists, the negative impact of certain drug side-effects, such as putting on weight, and the burden of having to take medication frequently can outweigh the benefits of the treatment, particularly in those over the age of 50.

In other words, the benefits of taking medication are so small that they can be outweighed by the risks and hassle involved.

"For people with type 2 diabetes, the goal of managing blood sugar levels is to prevent associated diabetes complications, such as kidney, eye and heart disease, but it is essential to balance complication risks and treatment burdens when deciding how aggressively to treat blood sugars.

"If you're a patient with fairly low complication risks, but are experiencing symptoms from low blood sugar, gaining weight or find frequent insulin shots to be disruptive to your daily life, then the drugs are doing more harm than good. Prescribing medicine isn't just about reducing risks of complications, but also about helping patients improve their quality of life," the scientists said.

They noted that if a person has achieved moderate levels of glucose control, there is not much benefit in intensifying their blood sugar treatment. However, such a move will significantly increase costs and risks to the patient.

The study found that the benefits of diabetes treatment reduce with age and by the age of 75, the harmful effects of most treatments are likely to outweigh any benefits.

The scientists emphasised that their findings do not relate to the one in five people with type 2 diabetes who have very high blood glucose levels and require more aggressive treatment.

"Drugs that lower blood sugar levels are extremely beneficial in some patients but offer almost no benefit for others. These results have major implications for the millions of people who are currently being told that they need to increase medication in order to achieve their glucose goal," the scientists insisted.

They added that the current system used for type 2 diabetes does ‘not allow doctors and patients to make good decisions for each patient because they emphasise reaching targets instead of thinking of the risks and benefits of starting new medications based on individual circumstances and preferences'.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.