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.

Study identifies epigenetic patterns affecting insulin and glucagon production in type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have carried out the most detailed mapping to date of the epigenome in the cells that regulate the body's blood sugar levels.

24 Apr 2026

Type 1 diabetes preserves fitness but alters oxygen use in teens

The study highlights early microvascular impairment in adolescents with type 1 diabetes, emphasizing the importance of monitoring vascular health in this group.

24 Apr 2026

Study identifies new genetic pathways driving cardiometabolic disease risk

A study published today in PLOS Medicine has identified two new genetic pathways that contribute to cardiometabolic disease, which includes heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

23 Apr 2026

Real-time CGM transforms blood glucose management in type 2 diabetes

A major clinical trial has found that real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) significantly improves blood glucose management in adults living with type 2 diabetes who are treated with basal insulin.

23 Apr 2026

Cell squeezing technology offers new breast cancer risk assessment

Researchers at City of Hope, a cancer research and treatment organization, and the University of California, Berkeley, have created a novel microfluidic platform that can assess women's breast cancer risk at the cellular level.

23 Apr 2026

Endoscopic procedure may prevent weight regain after GLP-1 discontinuation

An outpatient procedure may offer a way for the estimated 70% of people who discontinue popular weight-loss drugs to avoid regaining the pounds they shed, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026.

23 Apr 2026

Vitamin D may prevent diabetes in people with certain genes

More than two in five U.S. adults has prediabetes, a condition marked by higher-than-normal blood sugar levels that often leads to type 2 diabetes.

23 Apr 2026

Prediabetes leaves lasting fat tissue changes after bariatric surgery

Prediabetes may leave a lasting molecular "footprint" on adipose (fat) tissue which appears to make maintaining weight loss after bariatric surgery more difficult, according to new research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Istanbul, Turkey (12-15 May).

22 Apr 2026

High-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may improve beta-cell function in patients with type 2 diabetes

People with type 2 diabetes on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may have a better chance of reversing their diabetes than those on a low-fat diet, according to a small study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

21 Apr 2026

NHS grant funds study on the use of weight-loss drugs for treating PCOS

Dr. Shagaf Bakour, a gynecologist and director of medical education at Aston Medical School, has won an NHS research grant to investigate the use of weight-loss drugs in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

21 Apr 2026

An Arm and a Leg: The accidental architect of America’s drug patent problem

Depending on whom you ask, Alfred Engelberg could be a hero or a villain in the story of American pharmaceuticals.

20 Apr 2026

Eating oranges daily may shift lipid patterns in fatty liver disease

A 4-week trial on 'Navelina' oranges shows potential effects on lipid metabolism in fatty liver disease, revealing intriguing but non-significant patterns.

20 Apr 2026

Semaglutide improves liver function independently of weight loss

Researchers at Toronto's Sinai Health have found that semaglutide – the active ingredient in popular weight loss drugs that mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 – acts directly on a subset of liver cells to improve organ function and does so independently of weight loss.

15 Apr 2026

Metabolic syndrome doubles worldwide over two decades

A global study reveals a sharp rise in metabolic syndrome prevalence from 2000 to 2023, highlighting urgent public health challenges and regional disparities.

15 Apr 2026

Study identifies new genes linked to severe pregnancy sickness

The USC research team that recently identified the hormone-encoding gene GDF15 as a key driver of pregnancy sickness has identified 9 additional genes linked to its most severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).

14 Apr 2026

Targeting senescent fat cells provides new hope for ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal malignancy of the female reproductive system. Due to its insidious early symptoms and the absence of specific screening modalities, approximately 70% of patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage.

13 Apr 2026

Genetic variants may reduce effectiveness of popular diabetes drugs

More than a quarter of people with Type 2 diabetes take GLP-1 receptor agonists, but the popular diabetes drugs might not work as well for people who have certain genetic variants, according to a new study by Stanford Medicine scientists and their collaborators.

12 Apr 2026

Popular sweeteners may impact metabolism across generations

When you choose a diet version of your favorite fizzy drink, you consume non-nutritive sweeteners, which taste sweet but - unlike sugar - contain no calories.

10 Apr 2026

Genetic variants may help explain who loses more weight and who gets side effects on GLP-1 drugs

A large 23andMe-based GWAS found that common variants in GLP1R and GIPR help explain why some people lose more weight or experience more nausea and vomiting on GLP-1 drugs. The findings suggest genetics may eventually help predict who responds best to semaglutide or tirzepatide and who is more likely to develop side effects.

9 Apr 2026