A Dutch study found that women who went through menopause before age 40 were almost four times as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as women whose menopause was at 55 or older. (The average age for menopause in the U.S. is 51.) While the study doesn’t show a cause-and-effect relationship, it is grounds for […]
A recent study of elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes found swings in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a marker of long-term blood sugar levels, are associated with a higher number of symptoms of depression. People with type 2 are twice as likely as people without diabetes to develop depression, which affects as many as one-third of […]
People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at greater risk of cognitive impairment, including dementia, than those without diabetes. One of the main reasons is the damage diabetes causes to small blood vessels. Exercise, in addition to being good for physical health, can help brain health. Read more
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) there is a “diabetes belt” in the U.S., ranging across 644 counties in 15 states, in largely rural areas of the Southeast and Midwest, including Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee. People in this “belt” are more likely to develop diabetes than those in the rest of the U.S. […]
Type 1 diabetes used to be called “juvenile diabetes” and is often associated with children, while type 2 is more commonly associated with those middle-aged or older. But children with type 1 grow to be adults, and now type 2 is growing more common among the young. What are the differences and similarities in how type 1 […]
Treating diabetes may not be quite as simple as eating your vegetables, but a compound found in broccoli called sulforaphane shows promise in helping patients with type 2, according to a new study. The researchers, who in part were looking for an alternative to metformin for those patients with reduced kidney function, found that giving study […]
A new study from Australia reports that the diabetes drug canagliflozen may have benefits beyond lowering blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. It also may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and kidney disease significantly. Read more
A new clinical trial has found people with diabetes who received health-related text messages every day for six months showed improvement in their blood glucose levels. The improvement was comparable to that achieved with some diabetes drugs. The trial focused on low-income Hispanics with type 2, and assessed texting as a low-cost intervention that could […]
High alcohol consumption and binge drinking starting in the teens is associated with raising women’s blood glucose levels, putting them at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Men are not similarly affected. Read more
Biomedical engineers have created a technology that might mean current daily or weekly insulin shots for type 2 diabetics might one day be administered just once or twice a month. In primate tests, the drugs last for weeks rather than days. Read more
People with type 2 diabetes are often at increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Researchers have announced that measuring a blood marker called copeptin can successfully predict which patients are at risk, and may be used to prevent heart disease in patients with diabetes. Read more
Gene therapy, in which lab-designed genes are inserted into patients to treat their health conditions, often is focused on type 1 diabetes. However, researchers are now reporting an experiment in using gene therapy to treat type 2 diabetes is showing some success. Read more
The FDA has issued a new warning for the type 2 diabetes medicine canagliflozin (offered under the brand names Invokana, Invokamet, and Invokamet XR). Two large clinical trials have indicated the drug carries an increased risk of leg and foot amputations. The FDA advises patients taking canagliflozin to immediately notify their doctor if they experience new pain […]
Researchers at University College, London, have reported that they are closer to unlocking the genetic causes of type 2 diabetes after identifying 111 new chromosome locations, in the human genome. Read more
Eating out can take some careful planning when you have diabetes, especially when eating at fast food places where healthy choices can be hard to find. It is possible to occasionally incorporate fast food items into your diet, with a little extra attention. Read more
A new “Fresh Food Canadian Pharmacy” program at a hospital in central Pennsylvania is aimed at getting patients with type 2 diabetes to change their diets and lose weight. Participants in the pilot program receive a free selection of healthy foods every week and meet with a registered dietitian. Read more
In a new study, patients with type 2 diabetes scored worse than the healthy controls on tests of memory and reaction times. The problem was worse in overweight diabetes patients than in those of normal weight. Read more
A new study suggests that eating fresh fruit may help reduce diabetes risk for those who don’t have the disease. Those who already have diabetes may have a lower risk for complications such as heart and kidney disease. The study was conducted for 7 years on half a million Chinese adults. Read more
Many life sciences companies have tried to develop sensors that can monitor blood sugar without drawing blood, but so far none has succeeded. Now, Silicon Valley is taking on the challenge, with Apple looking to solve the problem. The company has a team of about 30 people in an office in Palo Alto working on a project […]
A new study from researchers in Finland suggests that a high concentration of indolepropionic acid in the serum protects against type 2 diabetes. Indolepropionic acid is produced by intestinal bacteria, and a diet rich in fiber can help boost its production. According to the researchers, the discovery provides additional insight into the role of intestinal […]