Why Is Diabetes A Metabolic Disorder?

Why Is It Hard To Find The Underlying Cause Of Metabolic Diseases Such As Diabetes?

For any multicellular organism to survive, it must perform two main functions, (a) to fight against infection and external agents that cause imbalance i.e the workings of an immune system, and (b) to breakdown food and store energy—i.e the metabolic system. If you look at organisms from tiny Caenorhabditis elegans to large mammals, many aspects of both these systems are conserved. In fact, glycolytic enzymes [1] are conserved in almost all living organisms. Why is this information relevant? —— over decades of research, we have learnt that the two systems are not independent but interdependent. Metabolic processes and immune responses are linked, which is why inflammation is responsible for many of the complications related to diabetes [2] [3] or obesity. So, it is difficult in general to understand metabolic diseases because there is a huge gap in our knowledge of the relationship between the two vital systems in our body. Figure 1: Cartoon image of how molecular signaling pathways [involving proteins] are affected by presence of lipids [which are metabolic products] and reactive oxygen species [ROS, which are often produced as by products of reactions in a cell]. [4] But why is it hard to understand the cause of a metabolic disease like diabetes? Because this is largely a chicken-or-egg problem——does an inflammatory response trigger [which can be caused by innumerable number of things including viruses] a metabolic imbalance or does a metabolic imbalance [again, which can be caused by an innumerable number of things including excess of nutrients or metabolites or lipids] trigger inflammatory responses? Figure 2: Metabolic processes and the immune responses are related. Excess [or lack] of nutrients affect the balance of nutrients and metabolites inside cells Continue reading >>

Metabolic Disorders

Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. Food is made up of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Chemicals in your digestive system break the food parts down into sugars and acids, your body's fuel. Your body can use this fuel right away, or it can store the energy in your body tissues, such as your liver, muscles, and body fat. A metabolic disorder occurs when abnormal chemical reactions in your body disrupt this process. When this happens, you might have too much of some substances or too little of other ones that you need to stay healthy. There are different groups of disorders. Some affect the breakdown of amino acids, carbohydrates, or lipids. Another group, mitochondrial diseases, affects the parts of the cells that produce the energy. You can develop a metabolic disorder when some organs, such as your liver or pancreas, become diseased or do not function normally. Diabetes is an example. Continue reading >>

Diabetes Mellitus And Metabolic Disorders

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders of carbohydrate metabolism characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) and usually resulting from insufficient production of the hormone insulin (type 1 diabetes) or an ineffective response of cells to insulin (type 2 diabetes). Secreted by the pancreas, insulin is required to transport blood glucose (sugar) into cells. Diabetes is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, as well as a leading cause of adult blindness. Other long-term complications include kidney failure, nerve damage, and lower limb amputation due to impaired circulation. Type 1 diabetes (formerly known as juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes) can occur at any age but often begins in late childhood with the pancreas failing to secrete adequate amounts of insulin. Type 1 diabetes has a strong genetic link, but most cases are the result of an autoimmune disorder, possibly set off by a viral infection, foreign protein, or environmental toxin. Although elevated blood sugar is an important feature of diabetes, sugar or carbohydrate in the diet is not the cause of the disease. Type 1 diabetes is managed by injections of insulin, along with small, regularly spaced meals and snacks that spread glucose intake throughout the day and minimize fluctuations in blood glucose. Type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes) is the more common type of diabetes, constituting 90 to 95 percent of cases. With this condition, insulin resistance renders cells unable to admit glucose, which then accumulates in the blood. Although type 2 diabetes generally starts in middle age, it is increasingly reported in childhood, especially in obese children. Genetic susceptibility to this form of diabetes may not be e Continue reading >>

Why Is Diabetes Mellitus Referred To As Metabolic Disorder?

Diabetes Mellitus means the complications caused by deficiency of a hormone(chemicals that helps to maintain balance in our body systems) named “insulin” which is produced by pancreas. Insulin decreases glucose level in our blood, by storing excess of glucose in liver and muscles as well as helping muscles and other tissues to utilize more glucose. Talking about “glucose”, glucose is the main energy for all the cells and tissues. All the metabolism that happens in our body needs energy, and glucose provides those energy by a series of a reaction. So in diabetes either “insulin” production is decreased due to several reasons or the cells of our body stops responding to insulin. In either case, the glucose utilization by cells are hampered and many metabolic activity cannot take place. So it is called a metabolic disorder. :) Continue reading >>

Endocrine And Metabolic Disorders

Endocrine Disorders Endocrine disorders involve an abnormality of one of the body’s endocrine glands. Among the endocrine disorders, thyroid problems are the most common. Thyroid underactivity/overactivity: Of the endocrine disorders, thyroid diseases are the most common. Effective treatment of thyroid over-activity (hyperthyroidism) and under-activity (hypothyroidism) is important in both the short term and long term. Although treating underactive thyroid is a bit more complex, either condition can be treated effectively. Thyroid growths: Most thyroid growths do not have serious consequences. A technique called “fine-needle aspiration” can be used to identify the minority of thyroid growths that are cancerous. The technique involves insertion of a small needle into the thyroid growth and withdrawing a small amount of fluid — much like drawing a blood sample from a vein. Cells in that fluid are then examined under a microscope. Other endocrine disorders: Disorders of the other endocrine glands are less common. The expertise of an endocrinologist often is needed to select the most efficient diagnostic approach, assess the need for treatment, select the best treatment approach, and assure a favorable outcome. Metabolic Disorders Diabetes mellitus: Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine/metabolic disorder. It affects 6.5% of the U.S. population. It is more common as we age and is more prevalent in African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans. Although the disease is potentially devastating, it is now well established that comprehensive treatment makes a difference in the health of diabetics in the short-term and the long term. It prevents or delays complications that can lead to blindness, kidney failure or amputations, as well as the nonspecific complic Continue reading >>

Cardiovascular, Diabetes, And Metabolic Disorders Research Center

The mission of the Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Research Center at the BWH Brigham Research Institute (BRI) is to integrate research efforts in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease with the goal of advancing discoveries leading to improvements in treatment of these disorders. The rise in obesity, diabetes and related cardiovascular disease worldwide, has prompted the need for a further understanding of the causes and mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. Under the leadership of Drs. Gail Adler, Charles Ozaki and Mark Feinberg, a primary goal of the CVDM Research Center is to facilitate progress in diagnosis, prevention and treatments for patients with cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in ways that would be unfeasible for an individual group or traditional department. The CDMRC Center brings together outstanding researchers and health professionals from disciplines that cover the spectrum of cardiovascular diseases; the CVDM Research Center provides BWH researchers with opportunities to collaborate and exchange ideas and to share a wide array of tools that help them investigate complex research questions. Continue reading >>

Nutrition And Metabolism Disorders

How does your metabolism work? Metabolism is the chemical process your body uses to transform the food you eat into the fuel that keeps you alive. Nutrition (food) consists of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These substances are broken down by enzymes in your digestive system, and then carried to the cells where they can be used as fuel. Your body either uses these substances immediately, or stores them in the liver, body fat, and muscle tissues for later use. A metabolic disorder occurs when the metabolism process fails and causes the body to have either too much or too little of the essential substances needed to stay healthy. Our bodies are very sensitive to errors in metabolism. The body must have amino acids and many types of proteins to perform all of its functions. For example, the brain needs calcium, potassium, and sodium to generate electrical impulses, and lipids (fats and oils) to maintain a healthy nervous system. Metabolic disorders can take many forms. This includes: a missing enzyme or vitamin that’s necessary for an important chemical reaction abnormal chemical reactions that hinder metabolic processes a disease in the liver, pancreas, endocrine glands, or other organs involved in metabolism nutritional deficiencies You can develop a metabolic disorder if certain organs — for instance, the pancreas or the liver — stop functioning properly. These kinds of disorders can be a result of genetics, a deficiency in a certain hormone or enzyme, consuming too much of certain foods, or a number of other factors. There are hundreds of genetic metabolic disorders caused by mutations of single genes. These mutations can be passed down through generations of families. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), certain racial or ethnic groups are m Continue reading >>

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: From A Metabolic Disorder To An Inflammatory Condition

Go to: INTRODUCTION Diabetes mellitus, a life style disease affecting 8.3% of the adult population of the world and increasing at an alarming rate, is one of the most common non-communicable diseases of current era[1]. The burden of this disease is immense owing to transition in lifestyle and dietary habits, ageing of the population and urbanization in the setting of a genetically predisposed environment[2]. The fact that the number of subjects with diabetes mellitus has doubled over the past three decades has made this disease a global challenge[3]. The number of diabetes mellitus patients is projected to increase from 382 million in 2013 to 592 million by 2035, denoting a net increase of 55%[1]. The predominant form is type 2 diabetes (T2D) which accounts for nearly 90% of all diabetes cases. Diabetes mellitus-not so sweet T2D is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction as a consequence of unsettled hyperglycemia[4,5]. In response to nutrient spill over in the setting of insulin resistance and eventual β-cell dysfunction, the general fuel homoeostasis of body is altered[2]. Insulin resistance in target tissues and a relative deficiency of insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells are the major features of T2D. β-cell hyperplasia and hyperinsulinaemia in response to insulin resistance occur in the preclinical period of disease. Relative insulin deficiency as a consequence of failure of β-cells to compensate for insulin resistance, progresses into overt T2D[6]. Metabolic alterations associated with T2D are well characterised by epidemiological and research based studies. The pathogenesis and progression of T2D is ascribed to four mechanisms; increased advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation, increased polyol Continue reading >>

Diabetes Mellitus (dm)

Years of poorly controlled hyperglycemia lead to multiple, primarily vascular complications that affect small vessels (microvascular), large vessels (macrovascular), or both. (For additional detail, see Complications of Diabetes Mellitus.) Microvascular disease underlies 3 common and devastating manifestations of diabetes mellitus: Microvascular disease may also impair skin healing, so that even minor breaks in skin integrity can develop into deeper ulcers and easily become infected, particularly in the lower extremities. Intensive control of plasma glucose can prevent or delay many of these complications but may not reverse them once established. Macrovascular disease involves atherosclerosis of large vessels, which can lead to Immune dysfunction is another major complication and develops from the direct effects of hyperglycemia on cellular immunity. Patients with diabetes mellitus are particularly susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections. Continue reading >>

Is Diabetes Dangerous?

Diabetes is a “slow subtle killer” usually with initially little to no pain. From the onset it can oh-so-slowly rob you of your quality of life without much notice … at least at first … even for years! Often it progresses so slowly that by the time many people realize how far and how bad it has become it’s simply too late. As the American Diabetes Association explains: “In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can lead to diabetes complications.” Glucose builds up in your bloodstream because your cells have become resistant to insulin, and your pancreas cannot produce enough to lower the sugar in your blood. While the reasons this happens are not entirely understood, lifestyle factors, including inactivity, also play a role. You may not experience any symptoms, especially if you have pre-diabetes, but some signs you may have the condition include: Increased thirst and frequent urination Unexplained weight loss Hunger Fatigue Frequent infections Blurred vision Slow-healing sores After these initial symptoms, long-term complications can develop. People with diabetes are at an increased risk of: Heart disease and stroke Nerve damage, which can lead to a loss of feeling in your limbs Eye damage (diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among 20-74-year-olds) Kidney damage (diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure) Foot damage (including infections and dam Continue reading >>

Journal Of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders

Aims and scope Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders is an open access, peer reviewed journal which publishes original clinical and translational articles and reviews in the field of endocrinology and provides a forum of debate of the highest quality on these issues. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, diabetes, lipid disorders, metabolic disorders, osteoporosis, interdisciplinary practices in endocrinology, cardiovascular and metabolic risk, aging research, obesity, traditional medicine, pychosomatic research, behavioral medicine, ethics and evidence-based practices. Open access All articles published by Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders are made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication, without subscription charges or registration barriers. Further information about open access can be found here. As authors of articles published in Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders you are the copyright holders of your article and have granted to any third party, in advance and in perpetuity, the right to use, reproduce or disseminate your article, according to the BioMed Central license agreement. For those of you who are US government employees or are prevented from being copyright holders for similar reasons, BioMed Central can accommodate non-standard copyright lines. Please contact us if further information is needed. Article-processing charges Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders is supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The article-processing charge (APC) that is payable upon editorial acceptance of an article is €850. If the corresponding author's institution participates in our open access membership program, some or all of the publication cost may be covered (more details available on the me Continue reading >>

Why Do American And European Men Have Flat Abs While Indians Have Pot Bellies?

The question says pot bellies and not obesity. Although the terms are mostly interchangeably used, there is an extremely specific reason why we Indians are more prone to have pot bellies. According to this, genes that aided in survival during adverse conditions, became detrimental in states of energy excess. Our ancestral populations, have been subjected to repeated long spells of famine. Our genes got used to the malnourishment and got to work in such a way, that we always store a little fat around the belly. It was our safety mechanism; to prevent us from dying. These genes were passed down to us, ultimately making us the proud bearers of little round sacks of adipose. So now, when there are no famines, and excessive amount of food, this same defense mechanism has become our bane, by contributing towards diabetes and other metabolic disorders. Yep. You can legit blame it on the genes! Continue reading >>

Why Do We Like Foods That Are Bad For Us? Isn't It Against The Survival Instinct?

The problem here is that you are assuming that whatever bad eating habits some humans have nowadays, were always bad habits. We are attracted to foods that are high in energy thus we like sweet stuff and fatty stuff. Our species evolved in a world of limited food resources, and up until very recently, only the wealthy could afford to eat more calories than they could burn. The reward system in our brains draws satisfaction from eating, including from eating as much as we can in one sitting, and to seek out sweet foods as well. In the early days of human evolution, that would be primarily ripe fruits. A large part of the world population in underdeveloped countries still do not have access to enough food, so they eat what they can, when they can, just like at the dawn of our species. Many of us forget this, because we live in industrialized, capitalist countries where cheap calories are abundantly available, and they are so cheap, that the even the poorest can consume them in vast quantities and end up with bad teeth and obesity. The food industry has a huge responsibility in pushing these super-cheap, low quality, highly processed, highly caloric, sweet, fatty, salty foods to the public. Evolution could not have predicted that. In addition, metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) or bad teeth do not kill people before the reproductive age, so evolution cannot really act on those diseases to reduce their incidence, because they do not affect reproductive fitness. Note: evolution cannot predict or cannot consciously act to weed out diseases, I'm using metaphors for simplicity. Continue reading >>

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome, sometimes known by other names, is a clustering of at least three of the five following medical conditions (giving a total of 16 possible combinations giving the syndrome): abdominal (central) obesity (cf. TOFI) high blood pressure high blood sugar high serum triglycerides low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels Metabolic syndrome is associated with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.[1][2] In the USA, about a quarter of the adult population have metabolic syndrome, and the prevalence increases with age, with racial and ethnic minorities being particularly affected.[3][4] Insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and prediabetes are closely related to one another and have overlapping aspects. The syndrome is thought to be caused by an underlying disorder of energy utilization and storage. The cause of the syndrome is an area of ongoing medical research. Signs and symptoms[edit] The main sign of metabolic syndrome is central obesity (also known as visceral, male-pattern or apple-shaped adiposity), overweight with adipose tissue accumulation particularly around the waist and trunk.[5] Other signs of metabolic syndrome include high blood pressure, decreased fasting serum HDL cholesterol, elevated fasting serum triglyceride level (VLDL triglyceride), impaired fasting glucose, insulin resistance, or prediabetes. Associated conditions include hyperuricemia, fatty liver (especially in concurrent obesity) progressing to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (in women), erectile dysfunction (in men), and acanthosis nigricans. Cause[edit] The exact mechanisms of the complex pathways of metabolic syndrome are under investigation. The pathophysiology is very complex and has been only partially elucidated. Mo Continue reading >>

International Journal Of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders

International Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that publishes research articles, review articles, as well as clinical studies in all aspects of diabetes research. In addition to general articles on clinical aspects of diabetes mellitus, International Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders also presents articles on basic research in all areas of diabetes and its related syndromes. This is extremely encouraging for the authors and readers to share important scientific information comprehensively on the relevant topics in the form of original articles, review articles, case reports, short communication, etc. International Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders publishes articles on all aspects of diabetes including Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) or juvenile diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus), Gestational Diabetes, Endocrinology, Diabetes Therapy, Diabetic Drugs, Genetics of Diabetes, obesity with relation to diabetes, risk factors, associated metabolic disorders etc. Submit manuscript at or send as an e-mail attachment to the Editorial Office at [email protected] Continue reading >>