Exosomes Are The Missing Link To Insulin Resistance In Diabetes

Exosomes are the Missing Link to Insulin Resistance in Diabetes

Chronic tissue inflammation resulting from obesity is an underlying cause of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. But the mechanism by which this occurs has remained cloaked, until now.
In a paper, published in the journal Cell on September 21, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers identified exosomes — extremely small vesicles or sacs secreted from most cell types — as the missing link.
“The actions induced by exosomes as they move between tissues are likely to be an underlying cause of intercellular communication causing metabolic derangements of diabetes,” said Jerrold Olefsky, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at UC San Diego School of Medicine and senior author of the paper. “By fluorescently labeling cells, we could see exosomes and the microRNA they carry moving from adipose (fat) tissue through the blood and infiltrating muscle and liver tissues.”
During chronic inflammation, the primary tissue to become inflamed is adipose. Forty percent of adipose tissue in obesity is comprised of macrophages — specialized immune cells that promote tissue inflammation. Macrophages in turn create and secrete exosomes.
When exosomes get into other tissues, they use the microRNA (miRNA) they carry to induce actions in the recipient cells. The macrophage-secreted miRNAs are on the hunt for messenger RNAs. When the miRNA finds a target in RNA, it binds to it, rendering the messenger RNA inactive. The protein that would have been encoded by the messenger RNA is no longer made. Thus, the miRNAs are a way Continue reading

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In a New Study, Researchers Claim They’ve Found a Way to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Reversing Type 2 Diabetes
Researchers from Newcastle and Glasgow Universities believe they have found a way to effectively reverse type 2 diabetes, without requiring a new kind of drug or invasive surgery. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how a person’s body metabolizes sugar, either because they’ve developed resistance to the hormone insulin, or their pancreas fails to produce enough insulin.
It’s long been believed that the condition is manageable, but not curable. According to findings published in the journal The Lancet, however, type 2 diabetes can be reversed through weight loss. More specifically, by reducing the amount of fat being carried in and around the abdomen, as accumulated fat in this region impedes the function of the pancreas.
The study included 298 patients, aged 20 to 65, who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the previous six years. Half of the patients were put on a low-calorie diet and lost an average of 10 to 15 kg (22 to 33 pounds). The other half of patients, who served as a control group, received the best diabetes management available — but that did not include a weight loss program.
Of the patients who lost weight, more than half saw their diabetes go into remission: 86 percent of the patients who lost more than 15kg, 57 percent who lost 10 to 15 kg, and 34 percent who lost 5 to 10 kg.
Of the patients in the control group who were not on a weight management protocol, only 4 percent saw their diabetes go into remission.
“These findings are very exciting. They could revolutionize the way type 2 diabetes is Continue reading

My Diabetes Meds Went On Vacay

... That's Why I Puked
Lil Boosie first heard big cheers from a NYC crowd, and then huge groans .. because fans watched him vomit on stage -- and he tells us it's all because he lost some very important medication.
Boosie -- a known diabetic -- says there was a miscommunication during his travel, and the bag with his meds went to Philly ... while he went to New York. He went on stage last night without getting his insulin shot.
He wants his fans to know everything's cool now -- he's got his Rx, and is on his way to Nebraska to tear down the stage.
As Boosie puts it, "S**t happens when you have diabetes but I feel good now.” Continue reading

Diabetes Now Kills More People in South Africa Than HIV

The country's near-total focus on HIV over the past 15 years has saved countless lives but starved other diseases of resources.
Linda Nordling
Sep 11 2017, 2:00pm
Aletta Harrison
It was in late 2016 that Goodman Gwala noticed an itch on his left foot. His local clinic in Inanda, a township in Durban, South Africa, gave him bone-chilling news. "The doctor told me: 'Your toes are rotten, Goodman, there's nothing we can do. We have to take this thing out.'"
In April, doctors amputated half of Gwala's left foot to halt the source of the itch—a gangrenous ulcer caused by diabetes. If caught early and treated carefully, such wounds can heal. But in South Africa, where diabetes is an overlooked condition, many seek help too late. Type 2 diabetes, which is what Gwala has, can often be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. But his job as a supermarket baker put him in the way of too much temptation. "I used to make birthday cakes, donuts…Most of the time I was eating them," he says.
Aletta Harrison
Today the 51-year-old has given up sweet cakes and sugary drinks, but the damage is already done. "My life is difficult. It's not like before," he says. He rarely goes out, as it hurts to be on his crutches too long. Mostly, he sits at home watching TV. He survives on a meager disability grant of R4,000 a month—around $310—and he reckons he'll never work again. He hopes retirement age will bring more money—enough to build a bigger house for himself and his young son.
Gwala's illness is one case among more than 2 million South African adults who were shown to have diabetes in 2015 (t Continue reading

7 Causes of Excessive Perspiration in People with Diabetes

Unless the weather is sweltering or you’re having hot flashes, excessive sweating is most likely an indication of a greater health issue. Ask yourself:
Do you have a fever or other signs of an infection?
Are you in any pain when you sweat?
Is the sweating mainly on one side?
Does it involve your palms, soles, and/or armpits?
Do you sweat while you sleep?
Is your blood glucose level high (or low) during these sweating episodes?
Could sweating be a reaction to your diabetes medication?
If the answer is yes to any of these questions, talk to your healthcare provider.
What are the possible causes of excessive sweating?
For people with diabetes, certain complications can affect the sweat glands, making it difficult for the body to cool down in hot weather, triggering heavy sweating even during light activities, or causing sweating in cool temperatures.
1. Autonomic neuropathy.
This is a condition in which hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) interferes with the nerves that control involuntary functions. The autonomic nervous system manages several systems automatically, including bladder control, heart rate, the ability to detect hypoglycemia, and the ability to sweat appropriately. Dry feet are a common symptom of nerve disease, so it is important to inspect your feet daily to be sure there are no cracks from excessive dryness, a condition that tends to occur along with sweating.
2. Low blood glucose levels.
A low blood glucose level is called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia triggers a fight-or-flight response in the body. As a result, the body produces additional norepinephrine and Continue reading