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.

New stem cell model mimics alpha cell behavior in diabetic conditions

Mor than 800 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, with numbers steadily increasing.

8 May 2025

Study reveals potential new strategy to prevent or slow progression of Type 1 diabetes

A study co-led by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers presents a potential new strategy to prevent or slow the progression of Type 1 diabetes by targeting an inflammation-related protein known to drive the disease.

7 May 2025

How urine caffeine levels may help detect diabetic eye damage early

Researchers found that higher urinary levels of caffeine and specific metabolites, especially in men, were significantly associated with diabetic retinopathy risk. The cross-sectional study used NHANES 2009–2014 data and highlights potential biomarkers for early detection in diabetic populations.

7 May 2025

Canadian study links ultra processed foods to poor health outcomes

A landmark study exploring Canadians' consumption of chips, frozen pizzas, breakfast cereals and other ultra-processed foods typically loaded with fat, sugar and additives has confirmed these foods are directly and significantly linked to poor health outcomes.

7 May 2025

Diabetes drug shows promise for treating prostate cancer

An international team of scientists led by the Medical University of Vienna has identified similarities in the mechanisms of diabetes and cancer: as the researchers show, the protein PPARγ, which is central to the regulation of metabolic processes, can also influence the growth of prostate cancer cells.

6 May 2025

Where and why men die younger: global data breaks it down

A global study published in PLOS Medicine examined sex-disaggregated data on hypertension, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS across 204 countries. It revealed significant but context-dependent differences in disease burden, care access, and outcomes between males and females.

4 May 2025

Semaglutide clears liver inflammation and cuts fibrosis in MASH patients, trial shows

A phase 3 trial shows that once-weekly semaglutide significantly improves liver histology in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). The interim results also reveal meaningful weight loss and improved cardiometabolic markers, with a favorable safety profile.

4 May 2025

Black coffee improves insulin sensitivity in women, study finds

Two daily cups of coffee, especially black, are linked to lower insulin resistance and fasting insulin levels in Korean women, suggesting coffee may improve glucose metabolism. The effect was not observed with coffee containing sugar or cream.

4 May 2025

Study finds key genetic differences between male and female placentas

The genes of male and female placentas have marked differences in how they are expressed, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other institutions.

1 May 2025

High fructose diets impair brain function and appetite control, study shows

Review highlights how excessive fructose intake disrupts brain energy balance, appetite regulation, and cognitive function. Processed sources, such as sugary drinks, may overwhelm metabolic pathways and induce neuroinflammation, particularly during adolescence.

30 Apr 2025

Curcumin shows promise for treating obesity, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers explore the medicinal role of curcumin in the treatment and prevention of neuroinflammation and metabolic disorders.

30 Apr 2025

Exercise helps mitigate cancer treatment side effects

Exercise can counter the detrimental effects of cancer treatment, such as heart and nerve damage and brain fog, suggests an overarching review of the existing pooled data analyses of the most recent research, published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

29 Apr 2025

Hormone therapy boosts heart health markers but raises some risks

Researchers assess hormone therapy-induced changes in cardiovascular biomarkers.

29 Apr 2025

Pecans lower cholesterol and improve diet quality in at-risk adults, study finds

Substituting 57 grams of pecans for usual snacks over 12 weeks improved lipid profiles and diet quality but did not affect vascular function in adults at cardiometabolic risk. A modest weight gain was also observed.

29 Apr 2025

Largest study to date reveals high blood sugar accelerates heart damage in healthy youth

In the present study, 1,595 adolescents drawn from the University of Bristol's Children of the 90s cohort were followed up from age 17 until 24 years. To assess the prevalence of prediabetes, which refers to high fasting blood glucose levels, two alternative cutpoints were used, a stricter cutpoint of ≥5.6 mmol/L recommended by the American Diabetes Association, and ≥6.1 mmol/L , which is the present recommendation in many countries.

29 Apr 2025

Obesity changes how the gut responds to plant compounds, researchers report

Researchers found that the impact of polyphenols rutin and genistein on the human fecal metabolome varies significantly by body mass index (BMI). Lower BMI individuals showed more diverse metabolic responses, revealing how gut health and obesity could shape polyphenol metabolism.

28 Apr 2025