New Drug Treats Root Cause Of Type 2 Diabetes, Could Reverse The Disease

New drug treats root cause of type 2 diabetes, could reverse the disease

A modified version of niclosamide, a drug that currently treats intestinal parasites, could be the key to reversing type 2 diabetes, according to new research from a Rutgers professor.
Victor Shengkan Jin reports that one of the major causes of insulin resistance is excessive fat in the liver, which prevents the body from absorbing glucose and using it as fuel.
The new drug, however, burns away this excess fat in a process called mitochondrial uncoupling - which enables the cells to burn away the fat.
“The cell is like a car and the mitochondria are the engine,” Jin said in an article on Rutgers' website. “What we’re doing inside cells is like putting the car’s transmission into neutral by uncoupling it from the transmission. Then you step on the gas so the engine runs full throttle but the car doesn’t move. If too much of the fuel in the cell is fat, you keep burning it until the fuel gauge reaches empty. Without the interference of fat, you hope that sugar will then enter the cell normally.”
Resetting insulin
Without excessive fat in the liver, cells can appropriately respond to insulin and enable better regulation of blood sugar.
The drug hasn't been tested in humans, but Jin says the results seen in mammals point to the idea that it would have a good safety profile for people too.
"We wanted a safe and practical compound to deplete fat inside cells,” he explained. “We went to the literature and found an approved drug that does in parasitic worms what we wanted to do in liver cells."
The study is published in the journal Nature Medicine.
Source: Rutgers Continue reading

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Study Reveals Marijuana Has Serious Health Benefits For Diabetes Sufferers

In the U.S., over 29.1 million people are currently diagnosed with diabetes. This is almost 10 percent of the population. Furthermore, two out of three of these people will die from the condition or the many complications that arise from it. This has prompted researchers to look into how medical marijuana can help treat diabetes and its associated complications.
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Type 1 diabetes, often termed juvenile diabetes, is a genetic disorder where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin –– a hormone that allows the body to process the sugars from carbohydrates. Sufferers of Type 1 diabetes often take multiple injections of insulin each day. On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes (also known as adult onset diabetes) is a disorder where the body doesn’t process insulin properly, often signaling the pancreas to make more insulin than required. This is the most common type of diabetes.
Medical marijuana has been the focus of several studies examining potential diabetes treatment. One such study, published in the American Journal of Medicine, found that active users of marijuana had a more productive carbohydrate metabolism than people who didn’t use marijuana (Ref. 1). Murray Mittleman, Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard and author of the study, said, “[Marijuana users’] fasting insulin levels were lower, and they appeared to be less resistant to the insulin produced by their body to maintain a normal blood-sugar level.”
The study comprised over 4,657 men and women participating in the National Health and Nutrition Ex Continue reading

Managing Diabetes-Related Anxiety

Anxiety arises as we confront change, contemplate life’s uncertainties, and imagine scary what-if scenarios.
Behind anxiety is a dread of loss, whether it be of pleasure, identity, independence, people we care about, or our health.
On the plus side, anxiety prompts us to take action, which happens to be the best antidote for anxiety.
Six Actions to Reduce Anxiety
Taking steps to manage diabetes may not immediately eliminate anxious feelings but, in time, will establish a redefined comfort zone that includes diabetes management.
Educate yourself about diabetes, even beyond what your doctor shares with you. An intuition supported by knowledge allows people to make the wisest possible decisions.
Stay open and curious about the latest conventional and unconventional treatment options related to your type of diabetes. If something interests you, talk to your doctor about it.
Even if you have never before been disciplined about anything, become disciplined about glucose management. Today’s blood sugar monitoring, medication compliance, food, and activity choices are the determiners of long term health within your control.
Regular exercise relieves feelings of anxiety. Aerobic activities help us burn nervous energy and sleep better at night. Practices such as yoga, Tai chi, or Qi gong teach the anxiety reducing habits of relaxation, breathing effectively, and quieting the mind.
Writing or journaling about anxious feelings is a proven way to help manage them. A journal is also a good place to explore existential issues, and research shows that people who keep a gratitude log, o Continue reading

Insulin-Producing Stem Cells Could Provide Lasting Diabetes Treatments

Researchers have crafted what may be a powerful weapon in the fight against diabetes: A new line of insulin-producing cells that has been shown to reverse diabetes in mice within forty days. Scientists hope that these cells may someday do the same in humans.
The new cells, called “Stage 7” or “S7” for their seven-step production process, are the product of a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the pharmaceutical company Janssen. S7 cells are made to mimic human beta cells, which are damaged or destroyed in patients with diabetes. Healthy beta cells produce insulin and help regulate blood sugar; S7 cells are grown from human embryonic stem cells and are programmed to do the same.
“The advance that they have made is that they’ve got better cells in the test tube, cells that have more insulin and can secrete insulin in response to glucose,” said Dr. Gordon Weir, a physician and researcher at Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard Medical School. “People haven’t been able to do that before.”
Human embryonic stem cells, like those used to produce the S7 line, show great promise for producing beta cell replacements. Just last week, another team of researchers led by Dr. Douglas Melton at Harvard University announced their own line of insulin-producing cells, also produced from human embryonic stem cells. Like S7 cells, the Harvard team’s cells produce insulin in response to high blood sugar and can reverse diabetes symptoms in mice.
The hope is that cells like these could be injected into diabetic patients, restoring normal beta cell f Continue reading

KORN Singer JONATHAN DAVIS Discusses His Son's Battle With Type 1 Diabetes (Video)

KORN's new song "So Unfair", which was inspired by frontman Jonathan Davis' youngest child, Zeppelin's battle with Type 1 diabetes, can be unlocked by going to this location and contributing to JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), a major charitable 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research.
Says Davis: "I want to support this wonderful organization that is fighting tooth and nail to help these little kids out. It's a horrible disease and I hate seeing kids in pain.
"Your gift will help JDRF to create a world without Type 1 Diabetes.
"Everyone who contributes to this campaign will receive our new song, 'So Unfair'. I'm also going to invite one lucky contributor and a friend to our private recording studio to create and record a song with me.
"Good luck and see you in the studio!"
Beyond the dietary changes and other lifestyle accommodations, Jonathan's son's struggle has prompted the singer and his wife Deven to become deeply involved in raising funds for research.
In a video message promoting the "So Unfair" campaign (see below), Jonathan said: "[My son's had Type 1 diabetes] for now a over a year. It's a battle for the parents, it's a battle for him, it's a battle for everybody. It's a horrible disease.
"I was out on the road. My wife was calling me, saying Zeppy was really tired and just being lethargic and laying around, and something was wrong. I got home from tour, and we took him to the hospital and told them what was going on. And they started running tests and doing all these things, and they decided to chec Continue reading