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.

Excessive screen time linked to higher cardiometabolic risk in youth

Children and young adults who spend excessive hours glued to screens and electronic devices may have higher risks for cardiometabolic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

6 Aug 2025

Research offers hope for weight loss without gastrointestinal distress

Weight loss and diabetes drugs on the market often do not achieve long-term weight loss for patients. GLP-1 drugs target brain neurons that control appetite but frequently cause side effects.

5 Aug 2025

Leptin could offer alternative to insulin for managing type 1 diabetes complication

More than a decade ago, researchers found that an acute complication of type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), can be resolved with the hormone leptin, even in the absence of insulin.

4 Aug 2025

Living in rural areas early in life may increase risk of type 1 diabetes

New research to be presented at this year's Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15-19 September) suggests that living in a rural environment in the first five years of life could increase the risk of developing type 1 diabetes compared with living in urban environments.

4 Aug 2025

Metformin’s blood sugar control starts in the brain, not just the liver, study finds

Low, clinically relevant doses of metformin lower blood glucose by inhibiting the Rap1 protein in specific neurons of the hypothalamus, revealing a brain-first mechanism. This action is essential for metformin’s effect at therapeutic doses and highlights new directions for diabetes treatment.

3 Aug 2025

Immune molecule found to play a key role in regulating inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers at Kyoto University have discovered that an immune molecule found only in primates, called IGFL2, plays a key role in regulating inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

1 Aug 2025

New approach preserves insulin-producing cells in diabetes model

Scientific breakthroughs in one disease don't always shed light on treating other diseases. But that's been the surprising journey of one Mayo Clinic research team.

1 Aug 2025

New study shows brain's role in diabetic ketoacidosis

More than a decade ago, researchers found that an acute complication of type 1 diabetes, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), can be resolved with the hormone leptin, even in the absence of insulin.

1 Aug 2025

The vicious circle of aging and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly NAFLD) and aging are locked in a vicious circle: senescence of liver cells accelerates fat accumulation, inflammation and fibrosis, while chronic steatosis in turn hastens hepatic decline.

1 Aug 2025

FAU experts recommend high-potency statins to reduce LDL cholesterol

There is broad consensus that the overall body of evidence shows lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol provides both statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in treating and preventing cardiovascular disease.

31 Jul 2025

Saliva testing offers a non-invasive way to detect early metabolic risk

Measuring elevated levels of insulin in blood, called hyperinsulinemia, is a proven way to measure metabolic health and can show risk of developing future health concerns, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

31 Jul 2025

Gut bacteria produce hormone-like proteins that regulate weight and blood sugar

Our intestines are home to trillions of microorganisms that produce substances capable of regulating all the body's organs via the bloodstream and the gut's nervous system.

31 Jul 2025

Metformin lowers blood sugar by acting on brain pathways

Although metformin has been the go-to medication to manage type 2 diabetes for more than 60 years, researchers still do not have a complete picture of how it works.

31 Jul 2025

Chronically ill? In Kennedy’s view, it might be your own fault

On a recent weekday evening, Ashly Richards helped her 13-year-old son, Case, with homework. He did math problems and some reading, underscoring how much he's accomplished at his school for children with autism.

31 Jul 2025

Brisk walking for just 15 minutes a day cuts death risk in low-income adults, study shows

Fast walking for as little as 15 minutes per day was linked to a nearly 20% reduction in mortality among predominantly Black and low-income American adults. Slow walking showed minimal benefit, but prolonged slow walking reduced the risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

30 Jul 2025

Canadian scientists trap gut microbe fuel to improve blood sugar and liver health

A team of Canadian scientists has discovered a surprising new way to improve blood sugar levels and reduce liver damage: by trapping a little-known fuel made by gut bacteria before they wreak havoc on the body.

30 Jul 2025

Vanderbilt team explores functional β-cell enhancement for diabetes

If it has seemed like more people you know are developing diabetes, you are right. The diabetes epidemic is not called that for nothing: According to the American Diabetes Association, over 10 percent of the U.S. population-approximately 38.4 million people-had diabetes in 2021, and 1.2 million more people get diagnosed each year.

30 Jul 2025

Gut hormone INSL5 linked to chronic diarrhea in patients with bile acid malabsorption

High levels of a hormone found in cells in the gut could underlie many cases of chronic diarrhea and help explain up to 40% of cases of patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, according to a new study led by scientists at the University of Cambridge.

29 Jul 2025

Diabetes care model shows unequal benefits across racial groups

Background and goal: The Enhanced Primary Care Diabetes (EPCD) model is a nurse-led care delivery model that leverages multidisciplinary support to improve diabetes care quality in primary care settings.

29 Jul 2025

Gut microbial metabolites restore hormone-producing cells in obesity

New research from scientists at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine reveals that certain gut microbial byproducts may hold promise as a novel therapy for obesity-associated metabolic complications by restoring critical hormone-producing cells in the intestine.

29 Jul 2025