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A newly discovered mechanism that leads to liver dysfunction may be a key factor in type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders in individuals with obesity, according to a new study. The dysfunction identified—dysregulated hepatic coenzyme Q metabolism—leads to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by mitochondria at a single specific site in an enzyme called complex I. Mitochondria metabolize nutrients and generate the building blocks needed to maintain metabolic homeostasis. During this process, mitochondria also generate ROS—molecules that, in small, controlled amounts, are essential to support normal body functions, but that can be harmful when produced in large quantities....

Research shows that most cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle interventions. But if you already have the condition, can it be reversed? The answer is a resounding yes, according to Gerald I. Shulman, MD, Ph.D. Insulin resistance drives type 2 diabetes, Shulman explains. "If you reverse insulin resistance, you reverse type 2 diabetes," he said. In a landmark study, Shulman and Kitt Petersen, MD showed that modest weight reduction—even as little as 10%—does just that. However, Shulman notes, many people who are initially successful at losing weight regain it. The novel anti-obesity GLP-1 medications can play...

Micronutrient deficiency, whereby levels of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy bodily function are far too low, is common in people with type 2 diabetes, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence. A lack of vitamin D is the most common "missing" micronutrient. Genetic predisposition, various environmental factors, sedentary lifestyle, an unhealthy diet and obesity are risk factors for the disease, explain the researchers. And previously published research suggests that micronutrients have a key role in the development of type 2 diabetes, by potentially affecting glucose metabolism and insulin signaling pathways. Their analysis included 132 studies, involving 52,501...

If you are one of the many Asians who have never struggled with weight and are considered within “normal” weight, you might still be told by your doctor that you are at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. It can be surprising, then confusing, and especially frustrating. The term “skinny-fat” sounds like an oxymoron at best and body-shaming at worst, but it perfectly describes a significant risk factor for diabetes in Asians. It describes an individual who may appear of normal weight, yet has low muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat. This sets the stage for...

Limiting sugar intake from conception through early childhood was linked to lower risks of type 2 diabetes and hypertension, a new study found.Low sugar intake in the womb and during early childhood can protect against diabetes and hypertension later in life, according to a new study. Analysing data from the UK Biobank, researchers from Canada's McGill University and the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Southern California (USC) in the US examined the influence of sugar rationing during and after World War II by comparing health data of individuals born before and afterwards. “Studying the long-term effects...

Patients improved their insulin responses after being taken off medications and adjusting lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes patients who went on a low-carbohydrate diet saw their insulin production double, potentially eliminating their need for medication, according to a new study published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Type 2 diabetes occurs when insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells become less effective. Insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels, and when there is not enough being produced, blood sugar levels rise, causing various diseases linked to Type 2 diabetes. No conventional drug for Type 2 diabetes has been shown to...

We are getting destroyed and it's very recent and it's accelerating. The stats speak for themselves. You know this very well. 74% of Americans are overweight or obese. 50% now of American adults have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes. These were diseases where there was 1% of Americans in 1950 had type 2 diabetes. Now it's 50% of Americans have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Alzheimer's dementia are going through the roof. Young adult. Dementias have increased like three times since 2012. So early on that dementia is we're seeing, you know, this one in two Americans are expected to...

While the link between diabetes and periodontal disease is known, the impact of diabetes treatment on periodontal health is less well understood. Research demonstrates that periodontal inflammation can be positively affected just by receiving intensive diabetes treatment. It is widely believed that there is an interrelationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. While it has been shown that treatment of periodontal disease improves blood glucose control, the effect of diabetes treatment on periodontal disease has remained largely unknown. A collaborative research team administered a two-week intensive diabetes treatment to 29 type 2 diabetes patients, analyzing systemic and dental indicators before and...

Higher intake of heme iron, the type found in red meat and other animal products—as opposed to non-heme iron, found mostly in plant-based foods—was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a new study. The researchers assessed the link between iron and T2D using 36 years of dietary reports from 206,615 adults enrolled in the Nurses' Health Studies I and II and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The researchers also analyzed the biological mechanisms underpinning heme iron's relationship to T2D among smaller subsets of the participants. They looked at 37,544 participants' plasma metabolic biomarkers, including...

Avoiding bright light at night could be a simple way to reduce your risk of diabetes, a study shows. The study reveals the compelling relationship between exposure to light and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. "We found that exposure to brighter light at night was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes," says Associate Professor Andrew Phillips. In the large modeling study, the research team investigated whether personal light exposure patterns predicted the risk of diabetes using data from approximately 85,000 people and around 13 million hours of light sensor data. The participants—who did not...

Researchers could be closer to discovering a better way to use metformin, a common type 2 diabetes medication. Metformin is typically taken with meals to reduce gastrointestinal side effects, but new research is suggesting patients could see improved results if it's taken before meals. Dr. Cong Xie and a team which studied the gastrointestinal effects of the drug on 16 people living with type 2 diabetes who were already using it to treat the condition. Their findings were published and are now being used in e-learning by the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (one of the largest international...

Medications for type 2 diabetes and obesity known as GLP-1 receptor agonists may lower the risk of acute pancreatitis recurrence in people with obesity and those with type 2 diabetes, according to a study. Doctors have been cautious about prescribing these medications in patients with a history of pancreatitis due to the potential risk of worsening the condition, said Mahmoud Nassar, M.D., Ph.D. Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. The researchers used data from a database called TriNetX, which contains information from about 127 million patients across 15 countries, mainly from the United States. They identified 638,501...

Eating more dietary fiber may help prevent type 2 diabetes by promoting beneficial gut bacteria and substances produced during metabolism, according to research. The study looked at data from up to 11,000-plus participants in the ongoing Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. The researchers found that higher fiber intake was associated with specific "good" gut bacteria and certain favorable metabolites in the blood—some of which were actually produced by gut bacteria. Those gut microbes and metabolites were associated with lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes during an average follow-up of six years. According to federal dietary guidelines, the majority...

Type 2 diabetes alters the behavior of disks in the vertebral column, making them stiffer, and also causes the disks to change shape earlier than normal. As a result, the disk's ability to withstand pressure is compromised. This is one of the findings of a new study. Low back pain is a major cause of disability, often associated with intervertebral disk degeneration. People with type 2 diabetes face a higher risk of low back pain and disk-related issues. Yet the precise mechanisms of disk degeneration remain unclear. Investigating the biomechanical properties of the intervertebral disk is crucial for understanding the...

An international academic consortium has identified 13 biomarkers that significantly improve the ability to accurately predict cardiovascular disease risk in people with type 2 diabetes. The analysis, conducted by 23 experts from 11 countries, was led by The Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, and Lund University in Sweden. Although people with type 2 diabetes are two times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those without diabetes, it is a challenge for clinicians to predict who in this population is most at risk. Traditional risk scores, which reflect risk...

Time-restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting, can help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight and control their blood sugar levels, according to a new study. Participants who ate only during an eight-hour window between noon and 8 p.m. each day actually lost more weight over six months than participants who were instructed to reduce their calorie intake by 25%. Both groups had similar reductions in long-term blood sugar levels, as measured by a test of hemoglobin A1C, which shows blood sugar levels over the past three months. The study was conducted at UIC and enrolled 75 participants into...

New findings indicate that the type of protein in the diet is not as important as the overall amount of weight loss for those with type 2 diabetes. In a study, 106 adults with T2D were randomly assigned to either the high-protein or normal-protein diet for 52 weeks. Both diets were energy-restricted. The high-protein diet included recommendations to include lean beef in the diet, while the normal-protein diet instructed participants to refrain from eating any red meats. The team of researchers found that both a high-protein diet (40% of total calories from protein) and a moderate-protein diet (21% of total...

Amelia had been intent on losing weight most of her life — but this concern had never caused the 35-year-old to consider ending her life. Last summer, the Canadian woman was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and prescribed the wildly popular “miracle” drug Ozempic (semaglutide) by her doctor, who presented the drug as an easy way for Amelia to shed a few pounds and manage her blood sugar. Amelia, who asked that her last name be withheld for privacy reasons, avoided filling the prescription for three months since she “didn’t want to focus on the number on the scale.” However,...

They're a marine delicacy loved across Asia, but the humble sea cucumber is also proving to be a key ingredient in preventing diabetes, according to new research. Exploring the medicinal properties of sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra), researchers found that processed dried sea cucumber with salt extracts can inhibit a compound that is associated with increased risk of diabetes, thereby reducing the likelihood of the disease. To date, there is no commercially available therapeutic agent to inhibit the formation of this compound, called Advanced Glycation End product (AGE). AGEs form when proteins and/or fats combine with sugars in the bloodstream. When...

Swansea University researchers have found that a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes can potentially be used in the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Academics have found that the drug, canagliflozin (also known as Invokana), could be used to treat autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus as it targets T-cells, which form an essential component of the immune system. Canagliflozin is a drug that controls blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, however researchers have found an unexpected role for the drug involving the human immune system. Existing research has reported that targeting...