Salk Scientists Develop Diet Pill, Fexaramine: Safe and Effective Treatment for Obesity and Diabetes

A new fat burning compound can lead to weight loss without causing side effects. The pill, fexaramine, remains in the intestine rather than dissolve in the blood stream like other appetite suppressants or caffeine-based diet drugs. Researchers are confident that fexaramine can be an effective treatment for obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders.

Fexaramine works by making the body think that it has consumed calories which causes it to burn fat. In trials, researchers who developed the drug at the Salk Institute found that they effectively stopped weight gain, lowered cholesterol, controlled blood sugar and minimized inflammation.

Initially they used fexaramine in obese and diabetic mice, the researchers note that in five weeks of daily intake, the mice stopped gaining weight, lost fat and had lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels than untreated mice. In addition, the mice had a rise in body temperature--which signals metabolism ramping up--and some deposits of white fat in their bodies converted into a healthier, energy-burning beige form of the tissue.

The effects of the drug in mice led the scientists to believe that fexaramine can be an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes and obesity in humans.

Healthy Lifestyle Advice Same For Diabetics and Non-diabetics

A study published by the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke in Nuthetal, Germany suggests that the suggested lifestyle of people with diabetes is not different from the lifestyle advised for the general public. It is just that diabetics would benefit more from the healthy lifestyle in comparison with non-diabetics.

People with diabetes have problems maintaining their glucose (blood sugar) levels because of insulin production. Either their body cannot produce enough insulin or that the insulin is rejected by the body. Diabetes is a condition where insulin production and/or insulin action is defective.

If left untreated, glucose levels in the blood starts rising and a condition called hyperglycemia sets in. Hyperglycemia can cause damage to nerves, blood vessels, and other body organs. Hyperglycemia is strongly associated with heart attacks and death in subjects with no coronary heart disease or history of heart failure.

There is no cure for diabetes but the disease can be regulated through medication and maintaining a healthy lifestyle characterized by proper nutrition and exercise. The newly published study states that the suggested lifestyle is the same for both diabetics and non-diabetics but comes out more beneficial to non-diabetics.

Newly Discovered Hormone, Betatrophin, May Offer More Effective Diabetes Treatment

Harvard Stem Cell Institute co-director Doug Melton (r) and postdoc Peng Yi examine images related to their discovery of betatrophin, a new hormone that is a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Credit: B. D. Colen/Harvard University

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) have recently discovered a new hormone called betatrophin that can lead to a more effective treatment of type 2 diabetes.

In twenty years, diabetes is projected to affect 550 million people all over the world. Currently, it is the number one cause for foot amputations and non-genetic vision impairments.

There are two type of diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Although both types are caused by lack of insulin, they differ in how this is caused. Type 1 diabetes is mostly genetic and invoves the immune system attacking beta cells which are responsible for producing insulin. Type 2 diabetes is caused by the body rejecting its own insulin or that there is not enough insulin produced by the body. Of the two, 95% of diabetes cases are Type 2 diabetes and the leading cause of Type 2 diabetes is obesity.

Insulin is needed by the body to regulate the blood sugar (glucose) levels of the body. Insulin helps in moving glucose from the blood to cells where it is stored for future use as energy. Without insulin or when there is not enough insulin, glucose remains in the bloodstream. At high levels of glucose, blood vessels start to harden and other complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and other organ malfunctions arise.

There is no cure for diabetes. The disease can only be managed through glucose monitoring, insulin injections and other medications that help regulate glucose levels.

Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System Improves Glucose Control And Reduces Risk of Hypoglycemia For Diabetics

Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System
Credit: BioMed Central Ltd.

A Closed Loop Insulin Delivery System improved the control of glucose levels and reduced the risk of hypoglycemia compared with conventional pump treatment in a trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Diabetes is a disease where the body has difficulty maintaining glucose levels in the blood. There is a problem with insulin production. Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose levels. There is either too little insulin produced (or none at all) or that the body is rejecting it.

In type 1 diabetes, the body mistakenly identifies the insulin producing beta cells located in the pancreas as harmful and start attacking it. Because of this, type 1 is identified as an autoimmune disorder. This kind of disorder is hereditary and can be passed down through families.

Diabetes is a life long disease. There is still no cure for it. Despite this, diabetes can be managed. Regular insulin shots are done in lieu of the body's production process.

An important part of managing diabetes is monitoring one's blood glucose levels. Once the levels indicate a higher than normal glucose measurement, an insulin shot will help bring it down. It is important that the blood glucose levels being aimed for are as near normal as possible (that is in the range of those of a person who does not have diabetes).

A recent technology that combines both blood monitoring and insulin delivery is the closed loop insulin delivery system. The device continuously monitors the glucose levels in the blood and when it senses that the levels are too high, it automatically delivers insulin to the body.

Findings Suggest Beta-Carotene Lowers Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Scientists at the Stanford University Medical Center published their findings that beta-carotene lowers the risk for type 2 diabetes. They noted that test subjects with higher beta-carotene levels correlated with lower blood-glucose levels. On the opposite end, they note that a form of vitamin E may increase the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes.

Beta-carotene is an organic pigment found in plants called carotenoids. It comes in red, orange, and yellow pigments. Carotenoids are not manufactured by the body but is obtained through eating carotenoid-rich food.

Carrots are generally associated with beta-carotene but other fruits and vegetables also carry this nutrient.

Beta-Carotene and the Human Body

Another association with carrots is that it gives better eyesight. This is also because of beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is found in the chloroplasts and chromoplasts of plants. They have a direct reaction to light, especially blue light and near-ultraviolet light which they absorb. These types of light are damaging to the eye and beta-carotene other carotenoids directly absorb these to protect the eye.

Beta-carotene can be converted by the body into vitamin A once the body needs it. It supplies 50% of the vitamin A needed by the body. Although, high levels of beta-carotene is deemed unsafe when taken long term as it can turn skin yellow or orange.

Also, people who smoke are discouraged from taking beta-carotene supplements because it might increase the risk of lung and prostate cancer.

Creating New Beta Cells: Stem Cell Advances For Diabetes Treatment

The islets of Langerhans are responsible for the endocrine function of the pancreas. Each islet contains beta, alpha, and delta cells that are responsible for the secretion of pancreatic hormones. Beta cells secrete insulin, a well-characterized hormone that plays an important role in regulating glucose metabolism.

Stem cell treatment for diabetes is slowly progressing as scientists study the process of regenerating insulin producing beta cells from stem cells.

Diabetes is a disease where production of insulin by the, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, is either not enough or not even produced.

Insulin is created in the pancreas, as part of the body's endocrine system. Within the pancreas, in a region called the islets of Langerhans are cells called Beta cells. These beta cells are the cells responsible for the actual production and secretion of insulin.

Diabetes occurs when these beta cells stop producing insulin or does not produce enough. The number of beta cells in the body are kept in balance within the pancreas. Studies have shown that obese people who have not contracted diabetes have a higher amount of beta cells than obese diabetics.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are special cells that can differentiate (transform) into a higher or specialized type of cell. The body has different types of stem cells such as blood stem cells, heart stem cells, and even brain stem cells. These cells can only differentiate into cells specific to the organ they are associated with.

There are also pluripotent stem cells that can differentiate into any type of cell. These are embryonic stem cells. But because embryonic stem cells are harvested from living embryos, some sectors consider it a moral issue.

Advances in medical technology and research have allowed scientists to induce other cells to become pluripotent. This allows the production of pluripotent stem cells without using an embryo.

Genetic Association on Abnormal Insulin Production Found in Three Genes; TBC1D30, KANK1 and PAM

Effect of insulin on glucose uptake and metabolism. Insulin binds to its receptor (1), which starts many protein activation cascades (2). These include translocation of Glut-4 transporter to the plasma membrane and influx of glucose (3), glycogen synthesis (4), glycolysis (5) and fatty acid synthesis (6).
Source: Wikipedia

Studies show that three genes, TBC1D30, KANK1 and PAM , may have an influence on abnormal insulin production which may predispose people to diabetes.

Insulin is a hormone that brings sugar (glucose) to the cells for energy storage. It is produced by beta cells found in the pancreas.

It is responsible for regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, skeletal muscles, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood.

When insulin fails to do its job, glucose which is supposed to be stored in cells end up in the blood. As this progresses, blood sugar levels start going up leading to complications such as heart attack or kidney failure.

Diabetes is a disease where the insulin in the body is either rejected or too low. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a disorder where the immune system of the body starts attacking and destroying the insulin producing beta cells.

Type 2 diabetes is when the insulin produced is too low or that the cells start rejecting its own insulin. This is the most popular of the two types and accounts for about 95% of diabetes cases.