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.

Continuous glucose monitors show strong survival benefits for type 2 diabetes patients

People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on basal insulin, starting continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) had a 44% lower risk of dying from any cause after one year compared with those who did not use CGM, with the risk being 35% lower after two years, according to an analysis of patient data being presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2).

28 Sep 2026

New EASD study highlights red meat sugar as independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes

Preliminary results of an observational study being presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2), reveal that a sugar called dietary N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc), which is common in red meat, is independently associated with a 63% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in those with the highest versus lowest consumption, even after taking into account other T2D risk factors such as level of physical activity, overall diet, smoking status and other health conditions.

28 Sep 2026

Exam stress significantly raises blood sugar levels in medical students

Exam stress is associated with significant increases in blood sugar levels in medical students both during exams and the days leading up to them, according to new research being presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2).

27 Sep 2026

Gut bacteria signature may predict type 2 diabetes risk

Changes in the composition of bacteria in the gut could provide early warning of type 2 diabetes (T2D), new research being presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) has found.

27 Sep 2026

As GLP-1 drugs become more complex, their effects on the heart are getting harder to predict

A brief report reviews emerging GLP-1 receptor co-agonists that also target GIPR, GCGR, and other receptors, examining their metabolic benefits alongside known and predicted cardiac effects. The authors highlight substantial species differences, warning that mouse heart studies may fail to predict responses in human cardiac tissue and that many proposed cardiac effects still require direct testing.

24 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs may influence chronic pain through gut-brain and immune pathways

Researchers reviewed evidence linking GLP-1 and GLP-1 receptor agonists to chronic pain modulation through gut microbial, neuroimmune, vagal, and metabolic pathways, with the strongest clinical evidence currently involving knee osteoarthritis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension headache. Much of the proposed biology remains supported by preclinical research, and human studies have yet to establish that GLP-1RA-induced changes in the gut microbiome directly cause pain relief.

24 Sep 2026

Diabetes medication adherence remains low among disadvantaged patients

A new study led by UCLA Health found that a large percentage of disadvantaged patients are not taking their diabetes medications consistently.

23 Sep 2026

A child's gut microbiome may offer early clues to type 1 diabetes risk

Researchers tracking 887 children at high genetic risk of type 1 diabetes identified three distinct patterns of gut microbiome maturation during early childhood. One pattern was associated with substantially higher risk of islet autoantibody seroconversion or type 1 diabetes, while host genetic background altered the risk associated with another pattern.

23 Sep 2026

A chemical used in BPA-free products may have a connection to diabetes control

In adults with type 2 diabetes receiving oral glucose-lowering therapy, higher plasma BPS concentrations were associated with higher HbA1c after accounting for demographic factors, medication adherence, and diet, whereas BPA was not associated with HbA1c. The BPS association was modest and no longer statistically significant after further adjustment for BPA, BMI, and physical fitness, supporting the need for larger studies to determine whether reducing exposure could improve glycemic control.

23 Sep 2026

Higher ultra-processed food intake linked to multiple health risks

A higher ultra processed food (UPF) intake is linked to a heightened risk of several major chronic health issues, such as digestive diseases, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome/diabetes, as well as death, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal Family Medicine and Community Health.

22 Sep 2026

Cancer incidence rises faster among people with type 2 diabetes

A nationwide study being presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) has found that people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) have a higher risk of developing cancer, with cancer incidence rising more among people with T2D than those without diabetes over the past 25 years, largely driven by obesity-related cancers.

22 Sep 2026

Low spinal bone density may predict faster brain aging

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that lower bone mineral density in the spine was associated with faster cognitive decline and accelerated age-related white matter injury, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America.

22 Sep 2026

WashU expert analyzes FTC settlements with major pharmacy benefit managers

The Federal Trade Commission's settlements with two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could change how the companies do business, but they may not do enough to lower prescription drug costs for patients and employers, according to a health law expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

22 Sep 2026

City of Hope develops adaptive plug-and-play CAR T technology to attack tumors

Researchers from City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the country, have developed a new "plug-and-play" technology that adds engineered molecules to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells after treatment, allowing scientists to better control the cells and redirect them to attack different types of cancer.

22 Sep 2026

Children who ate healthier plant foods had slightly lower blood pressure later

Researchers followed 3,990 Dutch children for an average of 1.6 years and found that higher healthful plant-based diet scores were associated with modestly lower blood pressure and total cholesterol. Children with higher unhealthful plant-based diet scores had lower estimated food costs and distinct metabolite profiles, while healthful scores showed no clear cost association.

22 Sep 2026

Chronic DNA damage response may contribute to biological aging

A new review was published in Volume 18 of Aging on August 31, 2026, titled "The guardian paradox: DNA damage response overactivation as an integrative driver of aging – a tumor suppressor–negative regulator framework."

21 Sep 2026

Experimental RNA therapy enhances weight loss while preserving lean muscle

GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized obesity treatment, but they can lead people to lose muscle mass along with fat. And when patients stop treatment, they often regain their weight - primarily as fat.

21 Sep 2026

Several cups of coffee a day showed no clear diabetes link over 10 years

Researchers followed 1,158 adults in Italy for 10 years, comparing those who drank at least two to three cups of coffee daily with those who drank none. They found no statistically significant difference in new cases of impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes, but the small non-consumer group limits how confidently the study can rule out a difference in risk.

21 Sep 2026

Maldives meets UN target for reducing premature chronic disease deaths

The Maldives has become the only country in the World Health Organization's South East Asia region to meet the UN target for reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, cancers and diabetes.

21 Sep 2026