blood sugar levels tagged posts

New research has discovered neurons within the brain that detect and respond to changes in the level of sugar within the bloodstream.

Understanding how this blood sugar detection system works and how these neurocircuits operate would give researchers and doctors greater insights into how our brains regulate our blood sugar, and perhaps, how to target them therapeutically to treat metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, according to the study authors.

The study was published June 22 online in Diabetes.

“We’ve known for a long time that many neurons can detect sugar locally within the brain,” said Dr...

Insulin production has, for the last 50 or so years, come with some risks to the patient. Even so, the medication is lifesaving for the estimated 537 million adults living with diabetes worldwide, with that number expected to grow.

Recent clinical studies show that injection via insulin pens can cause insulin to reach the bloodstream so quickly that hypoglycemia, or blood sugar levels that dip below the healthy range, may result. Automated insulin pumps can deliver precise insulin and minimize this risk but are expensive and available only to a small portion of diabetes patients around the world.

Now, a plant-based, oral delivery of proinsulin could address these drawbacks, accord...

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have successfully mapped specific regions in the brain that are activated in association with changes in blood sugar—also known as glucose—providing fundamental location information that could ultimately lead to more targeted therapies for people who struggle with conditions like diabetes.

The landmark 13-year study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, describes how the team used careful microscopic analys...

Surfing internet before sleep. Scientists found bright light exposure increased insulin resistance compared to dim light exposure in both the morning and the evening. In the evening, bright light also caused higher peak glucose (blood sugar) levels. Credit: © Sergey Nivens / Fotolia

Northwestern scientists found bright light exposure increased insulin resistance compared to dim light exposure in both the morning and the evening. In the evening, bright light also caused higher peak glucose (blood sugar) levels. Over time, the excess blood glucose could result in increased body fat, weight gain and a higher risk for diabetes. “These results provide further evidence that bright light exposure may influence metabolism,” said Prof. Kathryn Reid.

Previous research by Northwestern scientists sho...