Diabetes and alcohol is the topic of a study conducted by Karolinska Institutet. This is the leading medical university in Sweden had scientists who revealed how alcohol causes hypoglycemia. Alcohol can lead to inflated secretion of insulin which in turn can lead to too low sugar, otherwise known as hypoglycemia.
Now the scientists at this Swedish university are saying that alcohol consumption can do harm to the brain. How? By lowering the concentration of blood glucose to such low levels, that's how. They have published this finding in the journal called Endocrinology.
Although hypoglycemia brought about by alcohol consumption has been a clinical problem to people with diabetes, the logistics behind this has not been unearthed or explained until recently. Researchers at the Hospital Diabetes Center in Stockholm assessed the link between diabetes and alcohol.
How did they do this? They administered alcohol on the pancreatic islet and monitored its influence to the blood flow, blood glucose levels and secretion of insulin. This is what they found which may very well convince the diabetics not to consume alcohol.
The main investigator, Ake Sjoholm, said they found that alcohol affects the microcirculation in the pancreas by inducing huge redeployment of the blood flow to the part that produces insulin. This results in hypoglycemia. He further said that this finding is vital for patients with diabetes and alcoholics with liver failure.
Alcohol consumption may aggravate persistent hypoglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes who are treated with sulfonylureas because many of these types of medications have a long half-life. Professor Sjoholm also said that most alcoholics are not properly nourished so they may not be able to respond to hypoglycemia appropriately.
Well, whether we like it or not the processing of alcohol in the body is similar to fat. Both contain almost the same amount of calories. Drinking alcohol can result in higher blood glucose level. That said and because I do not want to be such a kill-joy, you can drink it sometimes as a treat and when the blood glucose level is under control.
And if you are like me, about ten pounds overweight or more depending on whether I have just been to a buffet (my Waterloo) and have high triglycerides and blood pressure levels, then the smartest thing to do is to consult your doctor. I don't know about doctors these days. They get so panicky with 140-150 blood pressure level. So keep in mind the link between diabetes and alcohol.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Continuous Glucose Monitoring, How It Is Done
What is continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system? It is one that employs a tiny sensor which is inserted under the skin to check sugar levels in tissue fluid. This sensor stays in place for a week or several days after which it has to be replaced. Look for some improvement on this.
Through radio waves, a transmitter sends the data on blood glucose levels to a wireless monitor. This monitor is small and looks like a pager. The diabetic has to check the blood samples with a glucose monitor before programming the device.
These are more expensive than the traditional way of doing it but may help in better sugar control. They are FDA approved and give out real-time measurements displayed in one-minute or five-minute intervals. An alarm can be set to alert the user when the reading gets too low or too high.
The leading company for an insulin pump technology that one can wear is Insulet Corporation. Now this company has agreed to combine their wearable insulin pump with the continuous monitoring system of DexCom. What does this mean?
Combining the two will result in a handheld OmniPod System that will be wireless with Personal Diabetes Manager which can program the diabetic's delivery of insulin. It will display glucose readings continuously. The display will be glucose values that are real-time. In addition, this combo will alert the diabetics if the sugar levels are falling or rising.
Insulet Corporation's president and CEO, Duane DeSisto, said that this latest technology proves the company's dedication to improve the lives of the diabetics. Combining the DexCom's continuous monitoring system and making it into OmniPod Personal Diabetes Manager is easy to use and will prove the benefits of continuous monitoring and insulin pump therapy.
DexCom's president and CEO, Terrance H. Gregg, said his company is glad to work with Insulet Corporation in bringing about this combo that will make managing diabetes better for people with diabetes. The two technologies will certainly do that.
The combination of the two technologies will not only provide the diabetics with continuous data but also they will be able to track the trends that will make them know when to adjust their treatment. Alarms will sound off to alert the diabetics when their sugar levels are not within target levels.
The efforts to continue the development of this combo will go on through 2008 and should be ready to launch in the middle of 2009. Insulet Corporation's products for diabetes management will broaden as a result of this integration.
Through radio waves, a transmitter sends the data on blood glucose levels to a wireless monitor. This monitor is small and looks like a pager. The diabetic has to check the blood samples with a glucose monitor before programming the device.
These are more expensive than the traditional way of doing it but may help in better sugar control. They are FDA approved and give out real-time measurements displayed in one-minute or five-minute intervals. An alarm can be set to alert the user when the reading gets too low or too high.
The leading company for an insulin pump technology that one can wear is Insulet Corporation. Now this company has agreed to combine their wearable insulin pump with the continuous monitoring system of DexCom. What does this mean?
Combining the two will result in a handheld OmniPod System that will be wireless with Personal Diabetes Manager which can program the diabetic's delivery of insulin. It will display glucose readings continuously. The display will be glucose values that are real-time. In addition, this combo will alert the diabetics if the sugar levels are falling or rising.
Insulet Corporation's president and CEO, Duane DeSisto, said that this latest technology proves the company's dedication to improve the lives of the diabetics. Combining the DexCom's continuous monitoring system and making it into OmniPod Personal Diabetes Manager is easy to use and will prove the benefits of continuous monitoring and insulin pump therapy.
DexCom's president and CEO, Terrance H. Gregg, said his company is glad to work with Insulet Corporation in bringing about this combo that will make managing diabetes better for people with diabetes. The two technologies will certainly do that.
The combination of the two technologies will not only provide the diabetics with continuous data but also they will be able to track the trends that will make them know when to adjust their treatment. Alarms will sound off to alert the diabetics when their sugar levels are not within target levels.
The efforts to continue the development of this combo will go on through 2008 and should be ready to launch in the middle of 2009. Insulet Corporation's products for diabetes management will broaden as a result of this integration.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Carrot Cake, What Has This Got to do with Type 2 Diabetes?
Hammersmith Hospital's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in London conducted a study on sugar. We know that diabetics are frequently advised to cut back on sugar intake but researchers have questioned this saying that a reasonable amount is safe to take, as part of the diabetes diet.
So this study added three slices of carrot cake to the every day diet of nine type 2 diabetics who were overweight for 24 days. They kept a record of the participants' blood glucose levels, weight, sensitivity to insulin and cholesterol levels at the start and at the end of the research.
The leader of this research, Professor Gary Frost, said that the intake of energy of the participants was balanced to their weight and they evenly distributed the sucrose consumption over a day. What they found they published. There's more information at this other site on fats and sweets.
The participants did not gain weight. Nor did their sensitivity to insulin and their blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels change. Professor Frost further added that while their study is small and short term, their findings support other scientific researches on the same issue.
This study demonstrated that increased daily sucrose consumption with carrot cake did not show any unfavorable effect on the diabetics' blood glucose who retained a steady body weight. So the revised approach on the diabetes diet with some flexibility on increased sugar intake is here.
In fact, Kirk et al reviewed other studies in 2000 and found that adding sugar could help lower the consumption of fat. This is of course good for the general health. The findings of this research is also agreeable to the 2007 dietary guidelines of the American Diabetes Association.
ADA says that sucrose does not have a greater bad effect on blood sugar level than the same amount of starch. It should therefore be regarded the same way as the other foods that contain carbohydrates. It can be a replacement for other carbohydrate foods but of course monitored so diabetes medication can be used correctly. Watch out, carrot cake, here I come!
So this study added three slices of carrot cake to the every day diet of nine type 2 diabetics who were overweight for 24 days. They kept a record of the participants' blood glucose levels, weight, sensitivity to insulin and cholesterol levels at the start and at the end of the research.
The leader of this research, Professor Gary Frost, said that the intake of energy of the participants was balanced to their weight and they evenly distributed the sucrose consumption over a day. What they found they published. There's more information at this other site on fats and sweets.
The participants did not gain weight. Nor did their sensitivity to insulin and their blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels change. Professor Frost further added that while their study is small and short term, their findings support other scientific researches on the same issue.
This study demonstrated that increased daily sucrose consumption with carrot cake did not show any unfavorable effect on the diabetics' blood glucose who retained a steady body weight. So the revised approach on the diabetes diet with some flexibility on increased sugar intake is here.
In fact, Kirk et al reviewed other studies in 2000 and found that adding sugar could help lower the consumption of fat. This is of course good for the general health. The findings of this research is also agreeable to the 2007 dietary guidelines of the American Diabetes Association.
ADA says that sucrose does not have a greater bad effect on blood sugar level than the same amount of starch. It should therefore be regarded the same way as the other foods that contain carbohydrates. It can be a replacement for other carbohydrate foods but of course monitored so diabetes medication can be used correctly. Watch out, carrot cake, here I come!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Proof of Transplantation Technology Cure
There is proof that Tissera's pancreatic xenotransplantation has just reached an important target in its quest for treatment of type 1 diabetes. After successful pancreatic transplantation in the past, Tissera went on to investigate further the value of their treatment approach.
The Weizmann Institute of Science research team treated human primates with streptozotocin to make them diabetic and dependent on the administration of insulin to maintain sensible blood glucose levels. After a stabilization period, the research team transplanted a pig embryonic pancreatic tissue into these primates.
The scientists then followed these cases up. They reduced the amount of insulin they administered. By the fourth month after they transplanted the pancreatic tissue, only 10% of insulin was needed to maintain near normal blood glucose levels. And by the fifth month, the diabetic primates reached complete independence.
For this research, the scientists also addressed the issue of graft rejection. They were able to reduce the immune suppression treatment to counteract the rejection of the graft. The dose is down to the level adequate for humans with less side effects.
Even with the lower dose of immune suppression treatment, the primate achieved complete insulin independence 18 weeks after the transplantation. After 31 weeks from transplantation, the primate is well and is still completely independent from the administration of insulin.
This is an important achievement in the company's plan to reduce the immune suppression procedure which could make it possible to use on humans. There is therefore proof that this company's way to treat type 1 diabetes has therapeutic value.
Chairman and CEO of Tissera said they are so encouraged by the results of their study that they are having more studies to move forward with their goal of making this future treatment possible for people with type 1 diabetes in the very near future.
I researched this company because of its reported success on the pancreatic transplantation in the hope that they have finally zeroed in on a permanent cure for diabetics. The last I heard was that they are still basking on the significant milestone they accomplished on the large animal diabetic model experiments.
The Weizmann Institute of Science research team treated human primates with streptozotocin to make them diabetic and dependent on the administration of insulin to maintain sensible blood glucose levels. After a stabilization period, the research team transplanted a pig embryonic pancreatic tissue into these primates.
The scientists then followed these cases up. They reduced the amount of insulin they administered. By the fourth month after they transplanted the pancreatic tissue, only 10% of insulin was needed to maintain near normal blood glucose levels. And by the fifth month, the diabetic primates reached complete independence.
For this research, the scientists also addressed the issue of graft rejection. They were able to reduce the immune suppression treatment to counteract the rejection of the graft. The dose is down to the level adequate for humans with less side effects.
Even with the lower dose of immune suppression treatment, the primate achieved complete insulin independence 18 weeks after the transplantation. After 31 weeks from transplantation, the primate is well and is still completely independent from the administration of insulin.
This is an important achievement in the company's plan to reduce the immune suppression procedure which could make it possible to use on humans. There is therefore proof that this company's way to treat type 1 diabetes has therapeutic value.
Chairman and CEO of Tissera said they are so encouraged by the results of their study that they are having more studies to move forward with their goal of making this future treatment possible for people with type 1 diabetes in the very near future.
I researched this company because of its reported success on the pancreatic transplantation in the hope that they have finally zeroed in on a permanent cure for diabetics. The last I heard was that they are still basking on the significant milestone they accomplished on the large animal diabetic model experiments.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Encourage the Diabetics and Their Families
The diabetics and their families have to be given encouragement for what they are doing to keep healthy. They are able to do this in conferences like the one held at the Indianapolis Convention Center. "Taking Control of Your Diabetes" was the title of that conference and it is designed to inform and support the diabetics and their families.
David Marrero, PhD, Paris Roach, M.D. and Melinda S. Kelly, R.N. who is a diabetes educator are the co-directors of this program. They are from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the School of Medicine at Indiana University.
Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study program coordinator, Melinda Kelly, spoke on diabetes issues. Other speakers included specialists on diabetes from the School of Medicine at Indiana University as well as from the Diabetes Research and Training Center at the University of Michigan. There were also other speakers from the community.
Director and founder of Taking Control of Your Diabetes, Steven V. Edelman, M.D. was at the conference. He is also School of Medicine professor at the University of California in San Diego. The founder of the Disabled Business Persons Associated (helps with the education and rehabilitation of disabled people), Urban Miyares was the luncheon speaker.
There were important topics during this conference. Among them were: The Truths and Myths About Insulin and Type 2 Diabetes, What's Driving You Crazy About Your Caregivers and Living with Diabetes, Raising Kids With Diabetes and Home Glucose Monitoring: Knowing Your Numbers and What to Do with Them.
David Marrero, PhD, Paris Roach, M.D. and Melinda S. Kelly, R.N. who is a diabetes educator are the co-directors of this program. They are from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the School of Medicine at Indiana University.
Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study program coordinator, Melinda Kelly, spoke on diabetes issues. Other speakers included specialists on diabetes from the School of Medicine at Indiana University as well as from the Diabetes Research and Training Center at the University of Michigan. There were also other speakers from the community.
Director and founder of Taking Control of Your Diabetes, Steven V. Edelman, M.D. was at the conference. He is also School of Medicine professor at the University of California in San Diego. The founder of the Disabled Business Persons Associated (helps with the education and rehabilitation of disabled people), Urban Miyares was the luncheon speaker.
There were important topics during this conference. Among them were: The Truths and Myths About Insulin and Type 2 Diabetes, What's Driving You Crazy About Your Caregivers and Living with Diabetes, Raising Kids With Diabetes and Home Glucose Monitoring: Knowing Your Numbers and What to Do with Them.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Advancement Reported on Cholesterol and Fatty Acids Reduction
A way to reduce the bad cholesterol and fatty acids have been uncovered by researchers in Edmonton, Canada's University of Alberta. We know that this bad cholesterol and the fatty acids end up in the blood when the body metabolizes the food.
This is an important discovery in the sense that it could lead to a new therapy to treat and stop the effects of heart disease and type 2 diabetes which is linked to obesity. We also know that lack of physical activity and too much sugar and fat intake lead to diabetes and heart disease. The school can also do something about nutrition and diabetes.
The above reasoning led the University of Alberta's researchers to study the mechanism behind it. Dr. Richard Lehner and his team were successful in reducing the low density lipids (LDL) and triglycerides in the blood of hamsters and mice. How did they do this?
What they did was influence a particular enzyme to find out how exactly do eating too much fat and sugar and lack of physical activity lead to bad cholesterol. In so doing they found out how an enzyme lets the fatty acids in the liver and fat cells go to the blood and more importantly how to prevent this from happening.
This is an important finding because at the present what is employed to reduce the bad cholesterol are drugs called statins. But this does not treat obesity which is a risk factor in developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So the discovery on how to stop the enzyme from releasing the fatty acids into the blood could trigger effort at discovering what can stop this enzyme from doing this.
Dr. Lehner said there is a need for further testing. Also, it should be noted that whatever therapy they discover from this to treat obesity should not be regarded as a magical breakthrough. People should still make wise choices as to what they eat and to exercise in order to achieve optimum health.
This is an important discovery in the sense that it could lead to a new therapy to treat and stop the effects of heart disease and type 2 diabetes which is linked to obesity. We also know that lack of physical activity and too much sugar and fat intake lead to diabetes and heart disease. The school can also do something about nutrition and diabetes.
The above reasoning led the University of Alberta's researchers to study the mechanism behind it. Dr. Richard Lehner and his team were successful in reducing the low density lipids (LDL) and triglycerides in the blood of hamsters and mice. How did they do this?
What they did was influence a particular enzyme to find out how exactly do eating too much fat and sugar and lack of physical activity lead to bad cholesterol. In so doing they found out how an enzyme lets the fatty acids in the liver and fat cells go to the blood and more importantly how to prevent this from happening.
This is an important finding because at the present what is employed to reduce the bad cholesterol are drugs called statins. But this does not treat obesity which is a risk factor in developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. So the discovery on how to stop the enzyme from releasing the fatty acids into the blood could trigger effort at discovering what can stop this enzyme from doing this.
Dr. Lehner said there is a need for further testing. Also, it should be noted that whatever therapy they discover from this to treat obesity should not be regarded as a magical breakthrough. People should still make wise choices as to what they eat and to exercise in order to achieve optimum health.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Patients May Participate in a Walking Program
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a complication that could come along with diabetes. So many millions are living with diabetes and the number is still rising. In fact, it is expected to rise to more than 25 million Americans by 2010.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy can lead to foot ulcers which sometimes will require amputation. While before the recommendation of scientists and physicians is for those with foot ulcers to stay off their feet, now there is a new graduated walking program where these people can participate and therefore prevent some illnesses that could threaten life.
Due to numbness or loss of feeling in the foot, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a nerve disorder that affects the feet and the legs. It leads to pain and ulceration. Ulcers could be the result because of loss of muscle. This exposes the bones to a lot of pressure under the foot.
Doctors recommend exercise for the diabetics because there has been proof that it lessens the mortality risk as well as the occurrence of a cardiovascular disease. Joseph LeMaster who is University of Missouri's associate professor of community and family medicine said that type 2 diabetics can increase their mortality risk by 39% and their risk for cardiovascular disease by 34% if they do not do some form of exercise of moderate intensity regularly.
The diabetics are known to be less active than the regular population and those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are found to be even less physically active. So in a study at the University of Missouri, LeMaster checked the effects of exercise involving the lower extremity and walking program on the development of foot ulcer.
Here's how he did it. He assigned the diabetic subjects with this nerve condition into two groups. One group was monitored often and given exercises to strengthen the legs and a walking program that was graduated. In addition, this group received a telephone call every two weeks to motivate them. The other group is the control group. Both groups received eight sessions with a physical therapist and also some form of diabetic foot care education.
What did LeMaster find? He observed an increase in the total of foot lesions and ulcers during the first six months. But guess what he found after a year? Drum roll, please! The number of foot lesions and ulcers has started to go down in the first group compared to the control group. This shows that the risk has gone down too.
What is the moral lesson of this finding? Since weight-bearing exercise did not result in in increase of foot ulcers, it follows that this type of exercise should be safe for diabetics provided the walking program is closely supervised by a medical professional and that they have no ulcers at the start and have appropriate footwear. This type of exercise therefore is recommended for those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy can lead to foot ulcers which sometimes will require amputation. While before the recommendation of scientists and physicians is for those with foot ulcers to stay off their feet, now there is a new graduated walking program where these people can participate and therefore prevent some illnesses that could threaten life.
Due to numbness or loss of feeling in the foot, diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a nerve disorder that affects the feet and the legs. It leads to pain and ulceration. Ulcers could be the result because of loss of muscle. This exposes the bones to a lot of pressure under the foot.
Doctors recommend exercise for the diabetics because there has been proof that it lessens the mortality risk as well as the occurrence of a cardiovascular disease. Joseph LeMaster who is University of Missouri's associate professor of community and family medicine said that type 2 diabetics can increase their mortality risk by 39% and their risk for cardiovascular disease by 34% if they do not do some form of exercise of moderate intensity regularly.
The diabetics are known to be less active than the regular population and those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are found to be even less physically active. So in a study at the University of Missouri, LeMaster checked the effects of exercise involving the lower extremity and walking program on the development of foot ulcer.
Here's how he did it. He assigned the diabetic subjects with this nerve condition into two groups. One group was monitored often and given exercises to strengthen the legs and a walking program that was graduated. In addition, this group received a telephone call every two weeks to motivate them. The other group is the control group. Both groups received eight sessions with a physical therapist and also some form of diabetic foot care education.
What did LeMaster find? He observed an increase in the total of foot lesions and ulcers during the first six months. But guess what he found after a year? Drum roll, please! The number of foot lesions and ulcers has started to go down in the first group compared to the control group. This shows that the risk has gone down too.
What is the moral lesson of this finding? Since weight-bearing exercise did not result in in increase of foot ulcers, it follows that this type of exercise should be safe for diabetics provided the walking program is closely supervised by a medical professional and that they have no ulcers at the start and have appropriate footwear. This type of exercise therefore is recommended for those with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
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