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.

Why some people can’t lose weight even when they follow the rules

New research reveals biological factors, not just effort, influence weight loss success, highlighting the need for personalized diet and exercise interventions.

13 Jan 2026

Study shows biosynthetic method to make low-calorie sugar substitute

From saccharin in the 19th century to stevia and monk fruit in the 21st, researchers and the food industry have long sought a sweetener that delivers the taste of sugar without its drawbacks-excess calories, tooth decay, and heightened risk for obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes.

12 Jan 2026

Why adherence determines weight loss success with semaglutide

Researchers examine how the effectiveness of weight-loss medications may depend on the patient adherence.

12 Jan 2026

Weight loss normalizes fat tissue at cellular level

It is well known that obesity typically leads to inflammation and dysfunction of fat tissue that increases the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

12 Jan 2026

Metabolic BMI reveals hidden health risks in normal weight individuals

People of normal weight may also be at risk of diabetes and similar diseases. A study from the University of Gothenburg reveals that those with an unexpectedly high so-called metabolic BMI have up to a five times higher risk level.

12 Jan 2026

Natural daylight during office hours improves glucose stability in type 2 diabetes

Natural daylight exposure during office hours improves glucose control and boosts fat oxidation in individuals with type 2 diabetes, enhancing metabolic health.

8 Jan 2026

Why promising microbiome therapies rarely work in patients

Addressing the microbiome's translational gap involves understanding biological complexity and developing function-driven, patient-specific interventions.

8 Jan 2026

Reprogramming immunity to protect beta cells in type 1 diabetes

In the battle against type 1 diabetes (T1D), one researcher at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is leading a bold new front. With $1 million in funding from Breakthrough T1D, the leading global T1D research and advocacy organization, Leonardo Ferreira, Ph.D., assistant professor of Pharmacology and Immunology, and his collaborators at partnering institutions will explore a new approach to treating – and potentially curing – the disease.

7 Jan 2026

Blood biomarkers predict risk of multimorbidity in older adults

A small set of common blood biomarkers predicts which older adults will develop specific combinations of chronic diseases - and how quickly, a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Medicine reports.

7 Jan 2026

Homeless shelters for seniors pop up, catering to older adults’ medical needs

Just outside Salt Lake City sits an old, two-story, brick hotel. It's been given new life as a homeless shelter for seniors. The Medically Vulnerable People shelter — or MVP shelter, as it's known — is for people 62 and older or for younger adults with chronic health issues.

7 Jan 2026

A single immune protein may help explain why kidney and heart disease often develop together

This review synthesizes clinical, genetic, and mechanistic evidence showing that suPAR and related uPAR fragments are strongly associated with kidney, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease risk. It highlights suPAR as a stable biomarker of innate immune activation with potential pathogenic roles, while underscoring major gaps in assay standardization and therapeutic validation.

6 Jan 2026

Simple drug treatments could help older brains cope with memory decline and postoperative recovery

Simple pharmaceutical interventions could help older brains cope with memory impairment and recovery after surgery, new studies in mice suggest.

6 Jan 2026

Can ketogenic diets help PCOS? New analysis points to weight and insulin gains

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 studies found that ketogenic diets were associated with short-term reductions in body weight, waist circumference, insulin resistance, and some reproductive hormones in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, primarily among those with overweight or obesity. However, substantial heterogeneity, low certainty of evidence, limited safety reporting, and short follow-up periods mean the clinical effectiveness and long-term sustainability of ketogenic diets in PCOS remain uncertain.

5 Jan 2026

Common blood signals explain why chronic diseases cluster as we age

This population-based study shows that shared and pattern-specific blood biomarkers reflect biological vulnerability underlying multimorbidity and the pace at which chronic diseases accumulate in older adults. Metabolic and systemic stress markers such as GDF15, HbA1c, cystatin C, and insulin consistently tracked higher disease burden and faster accumulation, with findings replicated across cohorts.

5 Jan 2026