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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : July 17, 2014 7:19 PM IST
A new animal study has revealed that a single injection of the protein FGF1 would be sufficient to balance the blood sugar levels to a healthy range for more than two days. The Salk scientists discovered that sustained treatment with the protein doesn't merely keep blood sugar under control, but also reverses insulin insensitivity, the underlying physiological cause of diabetes. Equally exciting, the newly developed treatment doesn't result in side effects common to most current diabetes treatments.
Ronald M. Evans, director of Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory, said that controlling glucose was a dominant problem in the society and FGF1 offered a new method to control glucose in a powerful and unexpected way. Type 2 diabetes could be brought on by excess weight and inactivity, has skyrocketed over the past few decades in the United States and around the world. Almost 30 million Americans were estimated to have the disease, where glucose builds up in the bloodstream because not enough sugar-carting insulin was produced or because cells have become insulin-resistant and ignoring signals to absorb sugar. (Read: Is olive oil good for diabetics?)
The researchers found that the FGF1 treatment had a number of advantages over the diabetes drug Actos, which was associated with side effects ranging from unwanted weight gain to dangerous heart and liver problems. Importantly, FGF1 even at high doses did not trigger these side effects or cause glucose levels to drop to dangerously low levels, a risk factor associated with many glucose-lowering agents. Instead, the injections restored the body's own ability to naturally regulate insulin and blood sugar levels, keeping glucose amounts within a safe range effectively reversing the core symptoms of diabetes. (Read: Prevent diabetes with a fibre-rich carbohydrate diet)
The mechanism of FGF1 still isn't fully understood nor is the mechanism of insulin resistance but the researchers discovered that the protein's ability to stimulate growth was independent of its effect on glucose, bringing the protein a step closer to therapeutic use. (Read: Why smoking is bad for diabetics)
Here some tips to prevent diabetes
1. Get your sugar levels checked: A lot of people have prediabetes (fasting sugar: 100-125 mg/dl) and are totally clueless about it. A blood sugar test will help you to understand whether you're prediabetic and what are your chances of developing diabetes. If you get diagnosed with prediabetes, then you can take the right steps and prevent it from transforming into irreversible diabetes. Here are things you should know about prediabetes.
2. Change your lifestyle: Sometimes, small changes can make a huge difference. Lifestyle intervention for preventing diabetes is the best example for this. Several studies on diabetes prevention programme have proved that diabetes can be prevented effectively by giving up sedentary lifestyle and adopting healthier changes. Read more about sedentary lifestyle and diabetes risk.
3. Eat healthy: Eat a healthy diet that has low calories, especially low saturated fats. Trials have shown that fat intake should not exceed 30 percent of the total calorie intake, whereas saturated fats should be restricted to just 10 percent. Include more of vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, dairy products and sources of omega 3 fats. Also, increase your fibre intake. Here's how fibre can help you to prevent diabetes.
4. Eat smart by limiting your portion size: How much you eat and when you eat is as important as what you eat. Reducing portion size and dividing meals throughout the day reduces the risk of obesity and diabetes.Eatingproportionately will definitely be more helpful than starving yourself and overeating later due to excessive hunger. Irregularity in pattern of eating also causes drastic changes in blood sugar levels. Read more about 10 tips to prevent diabetes
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With inputs from ANI
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