Diabetes Drug Rosiglitazone Can Increase Fracture Risk

High doses of rosiglitazone, a drug used to treat diabetes, can increase the risk of bone fractures, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine found that rosiglitazone increases bone fat, which consequently can lead to poorer bone health.
“We were surprised by the massive amount of bone fat caused by rosiglitazone,” said Dr. Maya Styner, first author of the study. “The images were just stunning."
Rosiglitazone affects bone fat by packaging extra glucose - which the drug removes from the blood to treat diabetes - into pockets of fat that are deposited in the bone.
Diabetes and bone health
Diabetes already tends to increase bone fat levels and compromise bone health, but the good news is that exercise seems to substantially reduce the fat deposits caused by rosiglitazone.
"Exercise did decrease the volume of bone fat by about 10 percent, which was similar to the decrease we reported seeing in mice that were not given the drug but were instead fed a high-fat diet," Styner said.
Rosiglitazone, which is sold under the brand name Avandia, once had a bad reputation about a decade ago because of heart-related side effects associated with the drug.
Other drugs that use similar mechanisms as rosiglitazone to lower blood sugar may be close to FDA approval.
“Early reports show that the same bone concerns are popping up with these new drugs,” Styner said. “Doctors and patients need to be aware of this.”
Source: University of North Carolina
Image courtesy of stockdevil/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Reversing Diabetes: Hype or Hope?

There have been many books and articles written on the topic of reversing diabetes. Is it really possible to make diabetes go away?
Let's Define Reversal
When we speak of reversing diabetes, what do we mean? Some articles claim that type 2 diabetes can be completely reversed within 30 days and type 1 diabetes can be improved. Another argues that "unclogging" the pancreas can reverse a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in just 11 days. Still another says that rye bread can reverse the genetic markers that cause diabetes.
Diabetes can be the result of genetic predisposition or triggered by any of a myriad of causes, including metabolic syndrome, acquired insulin insensitivity, pancreatitis or pregnancy, among many others. None of these causes is addressed in the writings noted above.
For our purposes, the definition we will use for "reversal" is to be able to discontinue medications and still have "normal" blood glucose levels, with no implied time limit.
Moving Toward Reversal
If we really want to reverse type 2 diabetes, we have to start early – before the disease has progressed within the body. Certain aspects of diabetes cannot be reversed, like pancreatic cells that no longer produce sufficient insulin after a period of overuse. Once those cells stop producing, nothing will bring them back.
A medical check for diabetes or pre-diabetes is helpful. It can give you the knowledge to know what you are up against. If you are pre-diabetic, then you can learn the value of your A1c reading for a quarterly or semi-annual view of your average sugar levels. If you are diabetic, you wil Continue reading

A Diabetes Self-Care Check List

Fall is around the corner, kids are heading back to school, and the winter holiday season is several weeks off. It seems like a good time to run a simple diabetes self-care diagnostic.
Here are ten things endocrinologists suggest people with diabetes should know or do to achieve optimal well-being. How many of them can you cross off your need-to-do list?
Self-Care Check List
Eye See. Though not everyone with diabetes will have vision complications, catching problems early increases the likelihood of successful treatment results. If you have not visited your ophthalmologist during the past 12 months, this might be a good time to make an appointment.
Choppers Check. Even if you haven’t noticed any teeth or gum problems, two dental exams per year are recommended for people with diabetes. When did you last visit your dentist?
Numbers Update. Knowing and understanding the implications of certain numbers helps those with diabetes make wise lifestyle choices. What is your latest A1c level, body mass index, waist circumference, weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and kidney function (creatinine, albumin) results? You can keep abreast of these numbers - and find out what they mean - by seeing a doctor or endocrinologist regularly.
Monitoring Mettle. Regular glucose monitoring is the only way to gauge how different foods and activities affect your blood sugar so that suitable lifestyle or medication adjustments can be made.
Feet First. Being at higher risk for infection and peripheral nerve damage means your feet require plenty of TLC. Examining them daily for bruises, cuts Continue reading

Google and Sanofi Will Bring Diabetes Care to the Cloud

Google, along with French pharmaceutical company Sanofi, announced today a partnership that will help improve care for patients with diabetes.
According to Andy Conrad, head of Google's life science unit, technology can go a long way in helping treat both the minor and major complications that go along with having diabetes.
“Diabetics are far more likely to have heart attacks, they’re far more likely to have cancer, and they’re 15 times more likely to have their foot cut off because of vascular issues,” Conrad told Bloomberg Business. “If we could prevent strong and profound fluctuations in the levels of blood sugar, we could prevent most of the problems associated with diabetes.”
Analyzing blood sugar in real time
Part of the partnership will focus on ways to help physicians monitor patients' glucose levels in real time, which would improve daily management and help patients avoid complications.
Google is currently partnered with other companies, like Novartis and DexCom, to develop devices like Bluetooth-insulin pens and contact lenses that can detect blood sugar levels.
Devices that can upload data to the cloud, Conrad said, can help patients adopt a more preventative and proactive stance when it comes to managing diabetes with their doctors.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he concluded.
Source: Bloomberg Business
Image courtesy of nenetus/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes in many ways. As its alternate name of adult-onset diabetes implies, it is usually only found in adults. However, the rate of childr Continue reading

Research Shows This One Plant Kills Cancer And Stops Diabetes

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Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia), also known as balsam pear, bitter gourd, or karela, is widely cultivated in many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America and has been used extensively used in folk medicines since old times as a herbal remedy for diabetes – specifically in India, China, and Central America. [1]
The fruit of the bitter melon vine is usually harvested while it is still light green to pale yellow in color, as it becomes bitterer as it ripens. The young fruits are then split or cut in half, and the seeds and pith taken out and discarded. The fruit is then prepared as a vegetable or as a juice and is packed with various nutrients including high levels of Vitamin C and some uniquely valuable phytonutrients.
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In recent times bitter melon has generated much excitement owing to its medicinal potential. For several years now animal studies have supported the hypoglycemic (glucose lowering) and hypolipidemic (cholesterol lowering) effects of bitter melon – indicating its potential as a supplement beneficial for diabetes, weight loss and more. [2][3][4][5]
The fruit is said to be helpful in treating viral diseases such as measles. Also, in many parts of Asia, especially in the Philippines, it is be Continue reading