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.

You don't need 10,000 steps a day to benefit your heart, cardiologists say

A new American College of Cardiology scientific statement recommends integrating individualized exercise prescriptions into routine cardiovascular care, drawing on evidence supporting aerobic activity, resistance training, and cardiac rehabilitation. The authors emphasize that previously inactive individuals have the most to gain from increasing physical activity, while exercise recommendations should consider individual health conditions, functional capacity, and safety.

18 Oct 2026

Novel bioprinting technique successfully replicates mature human fat tissue

A research team has developed a support-bath bioprinting method that enables fragile, mature human adipocytes to be incorporated into geometrically defined three-dimensional (3D) constructs while retaining their viability, characteristic lipid-filled morphology, and metabolic activity.

14 Oct 2026

From turmeric to fenugreek, scientists examine nature’s potential role in diabetes care

A narrative review examined how curcumin, honey, culinary spices, and traditional remedies may influence oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial function, and insulin signaling in diabetes. Although experimental research and some clinical trials suggest potential metabolic benefits, the authors emphasize that larger, well-controlled studies are needed to establish their effectiveness and safety alongside conventional treatments.

14 Oct 2026

Doctors avoided two common words when talking about weight with patients

Researchers analyzed 123 recorded primary care consultations involving adults with type 2 diabetes and elevated BMI, finding that weight was discussed in just 39% of visits. Clinicians avoided potentially stigmatizing terms such as "overweight" and "obesity," while weight-related conversations occurred more frequently among patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists.

13 Oct 2026

ACLM launches resources to meet new medical nutrition requirements

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has launched two resources to help medical schools meet new federal nutrition requirements and to support practicing physicians seeking education relevant to state-level nutrition education requirements.

13 Oct 2026

Women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome more likely to have Alzheimer's and dementia

Alzheimer's disease and dementia may be more common in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), according to a review of existing evidence published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

13 Oct 2026

Nearly 400,000 adults, six body measurements, and a surprising result for heart attack risk

A UK Biobank study involving 395,831 adults found that a higher body roundness index (BRI) was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction over a median follow-up of 13.3 years. BRI showed slightly better predictive performance than BMI and four other anthropometric measures, although the improvements were modest and require independent validation before clinical adoption.

13 Oct 2026

Three months of yoga before surgery revealed a surprising difference in stress hormones

In a non-randomized study of 40 adults with severe obesity awaiting bariatric surgery, researchers found significantly lower plasma noradrenaline levels in yoga participants than in controls after adjusting for baseline measurements. The researchers detected no significant DNA methylation changes in three inflammatory genes and found no clear psychological or metabolic benefits.

12 Oct 2026

Researchers followed glucose monitor users for three years and found a possible kidney benefit

A study of more than 25,000 analytical group assignments involving high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes found that sustained real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) was associated with substantial improvements in blood sugar control over three years. Continued use was also linked to lower levels of a marker of kidney damage after three years, although researchers found no evidence that the technology preserved kidney filtration function.

12 Oct 2026

Molecular regulator CA8 may offer new therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes

Maintaining healthy blood glucose levels involves striking a balance between the glucose produced by the liver during fasting, and the insulin released from pancreatic beta cells after meals.

9 Oct 2026

Consuming fat before carbohydrates reduces post-meal blood glucose

In treating diabetes, post-meal elevation of glucose levels is an important therapeutic target. Existing clinical studies indicate that eating vegetables, protein, or fat before carbohydrates can moderate a post-meal rise in blood glucose, pointing to the potential of meal-sequencing as a simple and sustainable dietary strategy.

8 Oct 2026

Nutritionally similar meals might not affect your body the same way

Ultra-processed foods trigger distinct metabolic and brain responses, influencing insulin release and nutrient processing despite similar nutritional content.

8 Oct 2026

Metformin in pregnancy does not raise developmental risk in children

Metformin use during pregnancy shows no link to developmental problems at school entry.

7 Oct 2026

Does extra protein protect aging muscle during fasting?

A randomized trial found that alternate-day fasting reduced weight in older men, while added protein and leucine did not prevent lean mass loss.

7 Oct 2026

High-fiber diet beats metformin for blood sugar and weight in trial

High-fiber diet improves blood sugar and weight more than metformin in a small diabetes trial.

7 Oct 2026

UCLA scientist develops new way to map cellular metabolism

Nutrition advice is everywhere. Eat more protein. Cut back on sugar. Get more fiber. But beneath all that advice is a surprisingly basic gap in our understanding: Scientists still have a limited view of what happens when specific nutrients reach individual cells inside the body.

6 Oct 2026