Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

Researchers propose simple finger prick test to track metabolic health

Researchers writing in Frontiers in Science propose using simple tests to track metabolic health in non-communicable diseases, which cause three in four deaths worldwide.

14 Jul 2026

Muscle health plays crucial role in diabetes risk, study finds

A major new international study led by Curtin University, has found diabetes risk is about more than just body weight or obesity, revealing muscle health also likely plays a big role in whether people will develop the condition.

13 Jul 2026

Blocking ZFP384 protein extends brain repair window after stroke

Blocking the activity of ZFP384 can prolong the brain’s endogenous repair functions after stroke, report researchers in a collaborative study.

13 Jul 2026

Gut microbiota may shape eating behavior and guide new obesity treatments

The review shows how gut microbiota may influence appetite, food reward, inflammation, and energy balance through the gut-brain axis. Microbiota-targeted approaches could support future treatments for obesity and eating disorders, but clinical evidence remains limited.

12 Jul 2026

Cold-exposed mothers pass metabolic protection to male rat offspring through milk

Maternal cold exposure during early pregnancy improved glucose control and reduced liver fat in male rat offspring, with benefits persisting into late adulthood. The findings implicate a breast milk LCA, gut microbiota, and Th17 immune pathway, while human cohort data showed an observational link between winter conception and lower MASLD risk.

12 Jul 2026

New stem cell approach targets functional cure for diabetes

New research presented today at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2026 Annual Meeting explores an approach that could expand the potential of cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes by evaluating whether immune-engineered, allogeneic insulin-producing cells can survive and function without chronic immunosuppression.

11 Jul 2026

Nine gut bacteria linked to future type 2 diabetes risk

Research identifies specific gut microbes associated with future type 2 diabetes risk, emphasizing the impact of dietary fiber on microbiome health.

9 Jul 2026

LEAP2 hormone may predict anorexia nervosa relapse risk

People with anorexia nervosa have unusually high levels of a hormone called LEAP2 in their blood when they are in the acute phase of the disorder, according to research presented today (Thursday) at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026.

8 Jul 2026

Gut microbiome changes can signal future type 2 diabetes risk

The presence of certain bacteria in the gut microbiota, and fluctuations in a person's metabolism, can be seen in people who go on to develop type 2 diabetes years later.

7 Jul 2026

Breaking up long periods of sitting is linked to lower cancer risk

The study highlights that how sedentary time is accumulated affects cancer risk, with prolonged sitting linked to higher risk and activity offering protection.

7 Jul 2026

Trial supports glargine use in resource-limited Type 1 diabetes care

A trial led by University of Pittsburgh researchers and published today in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology adds nuance to the question of whether older human insulins are as effective as insulin analogues in low-resource settings.

6 Jul 2026

Six weeks of shorter sleep increases weight and sedentary time

People who shortened their sleep by around 80 minutes a night for six weeks gained weight-one pound on average-and were more sedentary, researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have found.

6 Jul 2026

Study reveals double burden of malnutrition among low-income urban children in India

Children growing up in a low-income urban community in Vellore are now facing two seemingly opposite forms of malnutrition simultaneously: persistent thinness and rising obesity by the time they reach primary school age.

2 Jul 2026

Depression-like behavior may accelerate endocrine aging in primates

A new review was published in Volume 18 of Aging on June 11, 2026, titled "Age-related dysfunctions of the neuroendocrine axes in nonhuman primates with depression-like and anxious behavior."

1 Jul 2026

LEF1 and niche-derived factors regulate T cell stemness across chronic diseases

T cells are an elite fighting force of the immune system, seeking out and destroying diseased cells. But in a prolonged campaign against a chronic condition - like a viral infection, or cancer - the body needs a steady supply of these killer troops.

1 Jul 2026

GLP-1 medications may improve long-term health for people with peripheral artery disease

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) medications were shown to reduce the number of deaths, amputations and hospitalizations among people with Type 2 diabetes who also had narrowed leg arteries associated with PAD (peripheral artery disease), according to new, independent research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

1 Jul 2026

Analysis shows artificial sweeteners may harm adult metabolism function

Since the first introduction of saccharin, an array of artificial and other non-nutritive (i.e., low-calorie or calorie-free) sweeteners have become ubiquitous in the US food supply.

30 Jun 2026

Study links sedentary lifestyle to early mitochondrial dysfunction in adults

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz have found that healthy yet sedentary individuals show a significant, coordinated drop in muscle mitochondrial function that may precede the development of major diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.

29 Jun 2026

Study links diabetes to worse long COVID health outcomes

People with diabetes who have had COVID-19 tend to recover more slowly, experience more long COVID complications, have a poorer quality of life, and require closer and more prolonged monitoring by medical teams.

29 Jun 2026

Simple blood test could identify the most effective obesity drug

Fasting blood tests measuring GLP-1 and GIP levels may predict obesity treatment response to semaglutide and tirzepatide, enhancing personalized therapy.

29 Jun 2026