Type II Diabetes Treatment and Insulin Resistance

Today, all forms of diabetes are treatable because of insulin. However, type II diabetes is still considered a chronic disease. Continued research and promoting public awareness is key to someday finding a full proof cure.

One interesting study is called, “Thiazolidinediones in the treatment of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.” By A R Saltiel and J M Olefsky - Diabetes December 1996 vol. 45 no. 12 1661-1669. Here is an excerpt: “Abstract - Insulin resistance, characterized by reduced responsiveness to normal circulating concentrations of insulin, is a common feature of almost all patients with type II diabetes. The presumed central roles of both peripheral and hepatic insulin resistance suggest that the enhancement of insulin action might be an effective pharmacological approach to diabetes. Thiazolidinediones are a new class of orally active drugs that are designed to enhance the actions of insulin. These agents reduce insulin resistance by increasing insulin-dependent glucose disposal and reducing hepatic glucose output. Clinical studies in patients with type II diabetes, as well as other syndromes characterized by insulin resistance, have demonstrated that thiazolidinediones may represent a safe and effective new treatment. Although the precise mechanism of action of these drugs remains unknown, transcriptional changes are observed in tissue culture cells that produce enhanced insulin action. This regulation of gene expression appears to be mediated by the interactions of thiazolidinediones with a family of nuclear receptors known as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). The further elucidation of the molecular actions of these drugs may reveal much about the underlying mechanisms of insulin resistance.”

Another interesting study is called, “Tumor necrosis factor alpha: a key component of the obesity-diabetes link.” By G S Hotamisligil and B M Spiegelman - Diabetes November 1994 vol. 43 no. 11 1271-1278. Here is an excerpt: “Abstract - Recent data have suggested a key role for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the insulin resistance of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). TNF-alpha expression is elevated in the adipose tissue of multiple experimental models of obesity. Neutralization of TNF-alpha in one of these models improves insulin sensitivity by increasing the activity of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, specifically in muscle and fat tissues. On a cellular level, TNF-alpha is a potent inhibitor of the insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylations on the beta-chain of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1, suggesting a defect at or near the tyrosine kinase activity of the insulin receptor. Given the clear link between obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes, these results strongly suggest that TNF-alpha may play a crucial role in the systemic insulin resistance of NIDDM. This may allow for new treatments of disorders involving resistance to insulin.”

A third study worth exploring is called, “The influence of body fat distribution on the incidence of diabetes mellitus. 13.5 years of follow-up of the participants in the study of men born in 1913.” By L O Ohlson, B Larsson, K Svärdsudd, L Welin, H Eriksson, L Wilhelmsen, P Björntorp and G Tibblin - Diabetes October 1985 vol. 34 no. 10 1055-1058. Here is an excerpt: “Abstract - In a prospective study of risk factors for ischemic heart disease, 792 54-yr-old men selected by year of birth (1913) and residence in Göteborg, Sweden, agreed to attend for questioning and a number of anthropometric and other measurements in 1967. Thirteen and one-half years later, these baseline findings were reviewed in relation to the number of men who had subsequently developed diabetes mellitus. This analysis focused on the importance of abdominal adipose tissue distribution, measured as the waist-to-hip circumference ratio, as a predictor for development of diabetes. Even when the confounding effect of body mass index, as a measure of the total body fat mass, was accounted for, the waist-to-hip ratio was positively and significantly associated with the risk for diabetes. These results from a prospective study strongly support previous cross-sectional findings indicating that not only the degree of obesity but also the localization of fat is a risk factor for diabetes.”

If you found any of these excerpts interesting, please read the studies in their entirety. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these researchers for their important work.

About the Author:

Monty Wrobleski is the author of this article on Avandia Lawsuit Settlements . Find more information about Avandia Side Effects here.