Wilhelm Krek explains that, “Cells need energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell’s energy currency, to enable them to maintain their functions. In a healthy person, the b-cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for insulin production, recognise when food is ingested. Sugar is burnt in the mitochondria of the b-cells by what is known as oxidative phosphorylation, producing ATP which, in turn, initiates insulin secretion in the b-cells. This stimulates the muscle cells, among others, to absorb sugar, thus regulating and normalising the level of sugar in the blood. Krek says that some diabetics may have an abnormality in this signal pathway. The plan now is to investigate this in a follow-up study. Join discussion...

A common treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) decreased the average glucose level during sleep of type 2s who were newly diagnosed with OSA. After seven weeks of the therapy, known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the diabetic patients' average BG level fell 20 mg/dl. Join discussion...

A Spanish university study has found that a traditional Mediterranean diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and fish may reduce the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes by 83 percent. One interesting outcome of the study was the finding that people at high risk of developing diabetes could substantially lower their risk by following the diet. High-risk factors included old age, a family history of the disease, and a former smoking habit. Join discussion...

No less an authority than the New York Times wrote in May 2006 that Halle Berry has type 1 diabetes, listing her as one of several "stars who have type 1 - Gary Hall, the Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer; Adam Morrison, the Gonzaga University basketball star; [and] Halle Berry." Ms. Berry is also described as having type 1 by other sources. Health24.com, for example, reported that "it was during the taping of the television sitcom called "Living Dolls" in 1989 that Halle went into a diabetic coma. Shortly afterwards she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes." Join discussion...

Having the so-called metabolic syndrome may raise the risk of chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, researchers from China report. Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of risk factors for diabetes and heart disease -- including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides (another type of blood fat). The syndrome is typically diagnosed when a person has three or more of these conditions. Join discussion...

The identification of a new mutation associated with type 2 diabetes suggests abnormal sleep patterns could be linked to diabetes and high blood pressure. Scientists recently identified a mutation near a gene called MTNR1B that increases a person's risk of having high blood sugar and elevates the chance of type 2 diabetes by 20 percent. MTNR1B is part of a pathway that controls melatonin, the hormone that regulates the body's internal clock. The proximity of the mutation and the melatonin gene suggests high blood sugar and diabetes could be directly related to a disturbed sleep pattern. Join discussion...

Gene tests may be no better for predicting diabetes risk than having a doctor ask some old-fashioned questions about weight, smoking status and family history, according to two studies published on Wednesday. Both studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at more than 16 genes linked to type 2 diabetes and found that the information they provided was no better than traditional risk factors, including blood sugar levels. Join discussion...

In a study of more than 11,000 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes, the investigators found that over a decade, those diagnosed with depression consistently had a higher average hemoglobin A1C level -- a standard measure of long-term blood sugar control. Join discussion...

According to a research team at Imperial College London, yoghurt really is very good for the body. As well as making the digestive process more effective, probiotic yoghurt drinks can even help to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes. Join discussion...