Insulin Resistance News and Research

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Insulin Resistance is a condition in which the body does not respond to insulin properly. This is most common in Type II diabetes or associated with obesity, ketoacidosis, infection, and certain rare conditions. Diminished effectiveness of insulin in lowering blood glucose levels requiring 200 units or more of insulin per day to prevent hyperglycemia or ketosis.

Disrupting mTORC1 protein complex extends lifespan

One of the secrets to a longer, healthier life is simply to eat less. When subjected to calorie restriction (CR), typically defined as a 20-40% reduction in caloric intake with corresponding maintenance of proper nutrition, animals in labs not only live longer, but also have improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, both of which decline during aging.

30 Mar 2012

Birth weight may identify future metabolic risks in girls

Heavier female babies are more likely to develop diabetes and related metabolic risks when they grow up compared with their male counterparts, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

30 Mar 2012

Vitamin D-fortified doogh improves inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetics

Daily intake of vitamin D-fortified doogh (Persian yogurt drink) improved inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetics and extra calcium conferred additional anti-inflammatory benefits, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

30 Mar 2012

Study explains how rapamycin also causes insulin resistance

A Penn- and MIT-led team explained how rapamycin, a drug that extends mouse lifespan, also causes insulin resistance. The researchers showed in an animal model that they could, in principle, separate the effects, which depend on inhibiting two protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, respectively.

30 Mar 2012

Cancer death rates declining but obesity still needs to be tackled

According to a new report from four major national cancer tracking groups there has been a steady decline in cancer death rates for men, women and children from 2004 to 2008. The declines in death and new cases of cancer reflect progress against the disease in terms of prevention, diagnosis and treatment, but experts say rising obesity may present a new challenge in the fight against cancer.

29 Mar 2012

Researchers describe unexpected role of p75NTR in type 2 diabetes

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have discovered a key protein that regulates insulin resistance-the diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin and which sets the stage for the development of the most common form of diabetes. This breakthrough points to a new way to potentially treat or forestall type 2 diabetes, a rapidly growing global health problem.

29 Mar 2012

Hyperinsulinemia itself not a cause of atherosclerosis

A number of studies have shown that excess insulin circulating in the bloodstream is a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, a new study from Joslin Diabetes Center finds that this condition, called hyperinsulinemia, is itself not a cause of atherosclerosis.

28 Mar 2012

Study validates Mitofusin 2 as possible target for treatment of diabetes mellitus

Researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) have discovered that deficiency of a single protein, Mitofusin 2, in muscle and hepatic cells of mice is sufficient to cause tissues to become insensitive to insulin, thus producing an increase in blood glucose concentrations. These are the two most common conditions prior to development of diabetes type 2.

26 Mar 2012

Insulin resistance occurs in the brains of people with Alzheimer's

Insulin resistance in the brain precedes and contributes to cognitive decline above and beyond other known causes of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Insulin is an important hormone in many bodily functions, including the health of brain cells.

26 Mar 2012

Men with type 2 diabetes more likely to develop major cardiovascular events

According to a new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), men with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were at higher risk for major cardiovascular events (e.g., death, heart attack, stroke) compared with men who had a history of CVD.

26 Mar 2012

Deficiency of Mitofusin 2 protein leads to insulin resistance, glucose intolerance

The study shows that the lack of Mitofusin 2 in mice produces insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, the main causes of diabetes.

23 Mar 2012

Verapamil drug may reverse diabetes-related death of pancreatic beta cells

A common high-blood-pressure medication appears to reverse the diabetes-related death of pancreatic beta cells, according to a University of Alabama at Birmingham study published today in the journal Diabetes.

23 Mar 2012

Two new studies strongly support link between insulin resistance and Alzheimer's

An emerging body of research suggests that Alzheimer's disease may be linked to insulin resistance, constituting a third type of diabetes. This model is based on several observations including an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease for diabetic patients, and reduced insulin levels in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's disease patients. Though intriguing, the existing evidence does not reveal if defective insulin signaling is causative of Alzheimer's or how insulin resistance impacts cognitive function.

21 Mar 2012

Deadly link between higher BMI and colorectal cancer

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the Campaign to End Obesity (CEO) are joining forces to highlight the potentially deadly link between higher Body Mass Index (BMI) and colorectal cancer.

16 Mar 2012

Consumption of dietary trans fatty acids associated with irritability, aggression

Might the "Twinkie defense" have a scientific foundation after all? Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown - by each of a range of measures, in men and women of all ages, in Caucasians and minorities - that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids (dTFAs) is associated with irritability and aggression.

14 Mar 2012

Conference highlights studies on metabolism, aging and monarch butterfly migration

The Genetics Society of America's 53rd Annual Drosophila Research Conference, March 7-11 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, will showcase diverse efforts to understand basic biological processes through the easy-to-study fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, and other insects.

12 Mar 2012

Metformin drug appears to prevent growth of atherosclerosis in patients with HIV

Treatment with the common diabetes drug metformin appears to prevent progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients infected with HIV.

8 Mar 2012

Metabolic syndrome predicts prevalence and incidence of CKD in elderly people

Elderly people with the metabolic syndrome-defined as having multiple risk factors associated with developing diabetes and heart disease-had an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

6 Mar 2012

Sedentary women more prone to developing type 2 diabetes

A new study has found that women who stay seated for long periods of time every day are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes, but that a similar link wasn't found in men.

2 Mar 2012

BioInvent completes enrollment in BI-204 phase IIa study for atherosclerosis

BioInvent International AB and its collaborator Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced today that all patients have completed enrollment in the GLACIER study, a phase IIa study with BI-204 in patients with stable atherosclerotic vascular disease.

2 Mar 2012