A new treatment may have the potential to put diabetes into remission in some type 2 diabetes patients, researchers say. The treatment involves regrowing the cells on the surface of a patient’s small intestine; the new cells spur the pancreas to produce adequate amounts of insulin again. Read more
Many experts believe that where you store fat on your body is determined by your genes, and that where extra fat is stored matters more than the amount of extra fat where insulin resistance and risk of diabetes are concerned. Now new research has defined 14 genetic variants that dictate where the body stores surplus […]
A recent study looked at whether statin use helps prevent heart issues in older people, with and without diabetes. In participants with diabetes, statins did significantly reduce the incidence of atherosclerotic CVD by 24% and all-cause mortality by 16% in those age 75–84 years. However, no benefit was seen in people with type 2 diabetes […]
Men with diabetes are more than twice as likely, and women five times more likely, to suffer heart failure than people who don’t have the disease. New research looks at how, on a cellular level, diabetes can cause heart failure. The study findings may one day lead to medications to treat or even prevent heart […]
The HbA1c test (also called the A1C test) is commonly used to diagnose type 2 diabetes. Researchers have found it could potentially also be used to identify signs of gestational diabetes in the first trimester of pregnancy. The test could be given as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy to help identify women at risk […]
Dr. George Bray, an expert in obesity and endocrinology, talks about why obesity is a chronic disease, what medical research is teaching us about the complex medical causes of obesity, and why we must move beyond treating it as an issue of personal responsibility and failure. Read more
A new blood test that can be conducted as early as the 10th week of pregnancy may help identify women who are at risk for gestational diabetes, say researchers. Gestational diabetes is a pregnancy-related condition that poses potentially serious health risks for mothers and babies. By detecting the risk early, doctors could help mothers make […]
New research has found that refraining from smoking cigarettes and maintaining good control of key risk factors — blood pressure, long-term blood glucose, lipid status (fats and fat-like substances in the blood), and renal function — could dramatically reduce cardiovascular risk for people with diabetes. The researchers found that smoking was the most important risk […]
A recent study found that late onset diabetes can be an early sign of pancreatic cancer; African Americans with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer relative to other ethnic groups. The researchers hope that detecting signs of pancreatic cancer and intervening earlier, physicians may improve the disease’s […]
The ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, is very popular. But new research has raised the possibility that this type of diet may be linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The study was done in mice, so more research is needed, but experts say the research suggests […]
Some studies have suggested that migraines and diabetes may be linked, but the idea remains controversial. A new study found that people with diabetes seemed to be at no greater risk of migraines than people without diabetes. Read more
Transplants of the pancreas have been an option to diabetes for many years, but were seldom used due to their high failure rate. Today, advancements in treating rejection and a better understanding of the procedure have led to more frequent use of the procedure for people suffering from severe cases of diabetes. While still a […]
Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance is found in 50 to 80 percent of patients with pancreatic cancer, researcher Donghui Li notes: “Diabetes is both a cause and consequence of cancer.” The relationship is perhaps unsurprising, given that the pancreas is the organ that controls blood glucose. But which comes first — diabetes or cancer? Read more
A new test using just a saliva sample could replace blood tests to assess and monitor diabetes. According to a new study, analysis of proteins in saliva can identify high blood sugar and related problems in children and adolescents with uncontrolled type 1 diabetes, before the appearance of clinical symptoms. By identifying diabetes early, complications […]
A new study found that pregnant women who have any type of diabetes have increased risk that their child could develop autism. While the risk level varied depending on whether a woman had type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes, all forms of diabetes showed some increase in risk. The researchers say this does not […]
Titanium dioxide is a common white pigment found in a range of ordinary items including paint and candy. Now a pilot study by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has found crystalline particles of titanium dioxide in pancreas specimens with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that exposure to the white pigment is associated with […]
Bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypasses can have a dramatic impact on diabetes, even reversing the disease. However, it’s widely considered a treatment of last resort. Now many doctors and surgeons are starting to agree that surgery should be seen as a crucial aspect of diabetes care — perhaps even the best tool we have […]
Diabetes is a known risk factor for strokes. New research suggests that increased HbA1C levels are a key cause of first-time strokes, and researchers are now wondering if more stringent glycemic management at earlier stages may help in stroke prevention. Read more
Many recent clinical trials of new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease have ending in failure, and now some scientists are reconsidering whether we’ve been looking at the wrong things in our attempts to understand and treat the disease. Some researchers are now looking at the relationship between diabetes and Alzheimer’s, and how insulin may be the […]
The current US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening criteria use just age and weight alone to screen for diabetes, which means that half of prediabetes and diabetes cases may be missed, according to a new study. Broadening the screening criteria could lead to earlier detection, enabling patients to make medical and lifestyle changes that […]