Cyndrome

Posts Tagged ‘diabets’

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered why eating fish may be a great idea to ward off chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

Jerrold Olefsky and colleagues identified a key receptor on macrophages abundantly found in obese body fat. Obesity and diabetes are closely correlated. The scientists say omega-3 fatty acids activate this macrophage receptor, resulting in broad anti-inflammatory effects and improved systemic insulin sensitivity.

Obese fat tissue contains lots of these macrophages producing lots of cytokines, which cause inflammation and rising insulin resistance.

Olefsky and colleagues eventually narrowed their focus to a G-protein receptor called GPR120, which is found only on pro-inflammatory macrophages in mature fat cells. When the receptor is exposed to omega-3 fatty acids, it is activated and generates a strong anti-inflammatory effect.

“The omega-3 fatty acids switch on the receptor, killing the inflammatory response,” said Olefsky

“Our work shows how fish oils safely do this, and suggests a possible way to treating the serious problems of inflammation in obesity and in conditions like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease through simple dietary supplementation,” he added.

However, it’s not clear how much fish oil constitutes a safe, effective dose. If too high, it could up the risk of to increased risk of bleeding and stroke in some people.

Grapefruit could hold the key to tackling diabetes, a new study has found.

Naringenin, an antioxidant derived from the bitter flavor of grapefruits and other citrus fruits, may cause the liver to break down fat while increasing insulin sensitivity, a process that naturally occurs during long periods of fasting.

Scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) report that naringenin activates a family of small proteins, called nuclear receptors, causing the liver to break down fatty acids.

In fact, the compound seems to mimic the actions of other drugs, such as the lipid-lowering Fenofibrate and the anti-diabetic Rosiglitazone, offering the advantages of both.

If the results of this study extend to human patients, this dietary supplement could become a staple in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, type-2 diabetes, and perhaps metabolic syndrome.

“It is a fascinating find. We show the mechanism by which naringenin increases two important pharmaceutical targets, PPARa and PPAR?, while blocking a third, LXRa. The results are similar to those induced by long periods of fasting,” said Yaakov Nahmias, of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem the paper’s senior author.

An easy way for people to assess their risk of having diabetes has been developed by a team from the University of Leicester.

Working in partnership with Diabetes UK, the largest diabetes charity in the country, and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, they have produced the first diabetes risk assessment that can be used in a multi-ethnic population.

The Diabetes Risk Score uses 7 questions to identify how high a risk someone is of getting diabetes.

These are age, ethnicity, sex, family history of diabetes, waist size, body mass index and any history or treatment for high blood pressure.

Answering these does not tell someone whether they have diabetes, just what their risk of having it is. Their GP needs to be seen to provide a firm diagnosis.

Professor Melanie Davies, HonoraryConsultant Physician in Diabetes at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said: “There are an estimated 2.6m people in England with diabetes with 500,000 of them not diagnosed. The impact of diabetes on individuals and their families can be profound. The costs to the NHS are also significant with diabetes prescriptions alone costing £500m a year. I, and my team, are proud that the Diabetes Risk Score will enable people to quickly and easily find out what their chance of having diabetes is and take action accordingly. The earlier diabetes is diagnosed the earlier effective treatment can start.”

Xinzhi Zhang MD, PhD, of the CDC, and colleagues conducted a study to determine the most recent prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in the older U.S. population. The study included an analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008 and included 1,006 individuals.

Diabetes was defined as self-reported disease (excluding gestational diabetes) and/or HbA1c level of 6.5% or greater. Photographs were taken of each eye to determine and classify diabetic retinopathy.

From 2005 to 2008, the estimated prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 28.5% and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy was 4.4% among people with diabetes aged 40 years and older. When examined by sex, 31.6% of men and 25.7% of women with diabetes had diabetic retinopathy.

Further, 26.4% of whites, 38.8% of blacks and 34% of Mexican Americans with diabetes had diabetic retinopathy. About 3.2% of whites, 9.3% of blacks and 7.3% of Mexican Americans with diabetes had vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

Further analysis indicated that independent risk factors for diabetic retinopathy included male sex (38.1% vs. 27.1%), higher HbA1c level, longer diabetes duration, use of insulin (47.4% vs. 26.7%) and higher systolic blood pressure.

According to the researchers’ estimations, diabetes-related blindness costs the United States about $500 billion per year.

“These estimates provide policy makers updated information for use in planning eye care services and rehabilitation. With the aging of the population and the increasing proportion of the population with diverse racial/ethnic heritage, the number of cases of diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy will likely increase. Furthermore, the need for eye care and for culturally appropriate interventions that can reduce disparity and improve access to eye care among diverse populations is also likely to increase,” the researchers concluded.

Nearly 30 percent of U.S. adults with diabetes over the age of 40 are estimated to have diabetic retinopathy, with about four percent of this population having vision-threatening retinopathy, according to a study to be published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus) is the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness among adults 20 to 74 years of age in the United States. Diabetes-related blindness costs the United States approximately 500 million dollars annually, according to background information in the article.

“Investigating the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is important because it is a key indicator of systemic diabetic microvascular complications, and as such, a sentinel indicator of the impact of diabetes,” the authors write.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study to determine the most recent prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in the U.S. population aged 40 and older. The study included an analysis of data from a nationally representative sample of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2008 and included 1, 006 individuals.

Diabetes was defined as a self-report of a previous diagnosis of the disease (excluding gestational diabetes mellitus) or glycated hemoglobin A1c (a form of hemoglobin used primarily to identify the average plasma glucose concentration) of 6.5 percent or greater. Photographs were taken of each eye to determine and classify diabetic retinopathy. Prevalence estimates were weighted to represent the civilian, noninstitutionalized U.S. population 40 years of age and older.

The researchers found that from 2005-2008 the estimated prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy was 28.5 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively, among persons with diabetes aged 40 and older. Approximately 31.6 percent of men and 25.7 percent of women with diabetes had diabetic retinopathy.

Further analysis indicated that independent risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include male sex, higher hemoglobin A1c level, longer diabetes duration, use of insulin, and higher systolic blood pressure.

“These estimates provide policy makers (with) updated information for use in planning eye care services and rehabilitation. With the aging of the population and the increasing proportion of the population with diverse racial/ethnic heritage, the number of cases of diabetic retinopathy and vision- threatening diabetic retinopathy will likely increase,” the authors conclude.