How Diet Coke causes atherosclerotic plaque – mechanism unlocked!!
It is known that high consumption of artificial sweeteners like aspartame can increase the risk of cardiovascular events but how it actually contributes to the disease is not clear. In the present study published in Cell Metabolism, the authors demonstrated its molecular mechanism in mice. They showed that an aspartame-rich diet in mice increased blood […]
Over-exercise leads to liver fibrosis
Exercise is good for health, it prevents obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease. However, excess of anything is bad, this holds true for exercise too. In a recent article published in the Cell Metabolism journal, a group of scientists found that over-exercise led to liver fibrosis and they delineated its detailed molecular mechanism using transgenic […]
Diet improving gut microbiome provides cardiometabolic benefits
Industrialization has increased the consumption of processed food and reduced fiber-rich food. These lifestyle changes have altered the gut microbiome by reducing fiber digesting and immune response regulating microbes. Thereby, increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart and lung diseases, cancer, etc. The gut microbiome is highly personalized and has high inter-individual […]
Shivering can make you healthy
A group of scientists from the Netherlands have published some studies in the past 10 years about the effect of cold on metabolic health. Their first study published in 2015 showed that exposure to cold (14-15oC) for 10 days up to 6h/day in type 2 diabetic patients (n=8) can improve insulin sensitivity by increasing brown […]
Intermittent fasting can cause hair loss, amid all the health gains
Many benefits are known for intermittent fasting, as it can help lose weight while improving metabolic health by using the body’s fat for energy. However, not all organs or cells respond to fasting similarly. A recent report in the Cell has shown that intermittent fasting can reduce hair growth in humans and mice. This is […]
Scientists explained why you gain weight quickly after stopping dieting
I bet all of you have observed that you gain weight quickly after a weight loss when you stop dieting or exercising. A group of scientists from Switzerland have recently found molecular evidence of this phenomenon. In a recent research article published in Nature, they found similar epigenetic signatures on fat cells (adipocytes) during obesity […]
Avoiding sugars in the first 1000 days of life can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension in your 60s – A World War II sugar rationing study
A recent study published in the Science journal showed that limiting sugar up to 1000 days from conception can reduce the risk and delay the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension later in life, in their 60s. Study cohort This study was based on a UK cohort of 60,183 participants born between October […]
A snapshot of worldwide diabetes prevalence over 30 years: 1990-2022
A recent study published in the Lancet determined the prevalence and treatment of diabetesamong 141 million participants worldwide, from 175 countries. Image 1: Prevalence and treatment coverage changes from 1990 to 2022. In 2022, the prevalence was lowest (2-5%) in western Europe and east Africa. Highest (≥ 25%) in Polynesia and Micronesia, some Caribbean, Middle […]
A non-invasive biomarker panel for MASH
Image source: Adobe stock MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) is a liver disease, where >5% fat accumulates in the liver along with inflammation and sometimes fibrosis. It is a severe form of MASLD (metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease) which is caused by just fat deposition in the liver. It is common and affects 25-30% of […]
Blood glucose as a predictor of cardiovascular events
A European observational study has determined that 2h post-load glucose (2-hPG) is a better marker than HbA1c in predicting cardiovascular events for coronary artery disease patients. This study was conducted in various European countries and was published in the Lancet Diabetes Endocrinology in Sept 2024. Coronary artery disease is a condition where fat, cholesterol and other materials […]
First iPSC- Islet Transplantation in Humans- Proceed with Caution
For the first time, a group of scientists from China successfully performed islet transplantation using iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) in one patient. They made iPSCs from the fat cells of the patients using chemicals instead of the conventional way of using Yamanaka factors. They successfully tested these human iPSCs-derived islets on monkeys before using […]
Transparent mice are here – Not a science fiction, but a reality.
Scientists at Stanford University have made live mice transparent, easing biomedical research and saving their lives. They used an FDA-approved food coloring dye called tartrazine, which makes the mice’s skin transparent. They used this dye on the mouse brain, abdomen, and muscle for imaging. Below is the figure of the mouse’s abdomen before and after […]
CAHn you do it?
Crinecerfont can improve CAH What is CAH and its cause? In response to stress, the body releases CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone) from the hypothalamus, which signals the pituitary gland via CRF1 (corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor 1) to produce ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). ACTH further stimulates the adrenal gland present over the kidney to synthesize cortisol, aldosterone, and androgens […]
Your Face Can Predict Metabolic Disorders
A team of scientists from Beijing, China have developed a thermal face image analysis program called ThermoFace (TF) that could predict biological age and metabolic disorders with 80-90% accuracy. They trained their program on thermal and 2D visible images of 2,811 Han Chinese individuals – 1,339 females and 1,472 males. They made a face mesh, […]
Let’s MASHup!!
MASH (Metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis) is a severe form of non-alcoholic liver disease, previously known as NASH (Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). It is caused by increased fat deposits and inflammation in the liver despite low alcohol consumption. This further leads to liver scarring called cirrhosis. Untreated cirrhosis causes irreversible damage to the liver leading to its failure […]
A Ray of Hope- Islets transplantation for T2D patients too
Islets are a group of hormone producing cells that control blood glucose levels. Islet transplantation is considered a cure for type 1 diabetes (T1D). T1D is caused by the destruction of beta cells in islets by the body’s immune system. These beta cells produce insulin that decreases blood glucose. Islet transplantation is challenging due to […]
Alkaline Phosphatase: Potential cure for acute kidney injury?
Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects 20-50% of all hospitalized patients. It is characterized by an increase in serum creatinine and decreased urine output. AKI has mortality rate of >50%. Many factors are responsible for AKI like trauma, cardiovascular surgery, administration of nephrotoxic drugs, but sepsis associated AKI is the prominent one. Current treatment plans include […]
Mito!! Give me the power to rejuvenate!
We all know that mitochondria are the powerhouse of cells because they generate energy from food. However, we did not know their involvement in cellular regeneration. Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center determined that liver cells with damaged mitochondria have less ability to regenerate when injured. Henceforth, allowing cells with undamaged mitochondria to grow more, […]
Insulin Efsitora Alfa-Substitute for Continual Insulin Administration
Eli Lilly Efistora has showed positive outcomes from QWINT-2 and QWINT-4 phase 3 clinical trials. The trials discerned impact of the once weekly insulin efsitora in patients with T2 diabetes using insulin for the first time. The trials compared results with patients requiring multiple daily insulin injections. Although results of efsitora consumption are not superior […]
Lixisenatide has added benefits for treating Parkinson disease
New Diabetic Drug Lixisenatide has found its new purpose to treat Parkinson disease. The studies published in New England Journal of Medicine suggested that lixisentide therapy attenuated the progression of motor disability in patients diagnosed with Parkinson disease in less than 3 years (Meissner et al., 2024). These benefits were associated with gastrointestinal side effects. […]
Wegovy is the New Weight Loss Superstar to Win FDA Approval
Novo Nordisk, already popular weight loss med Wegovy, added another feather in its cap. NOVO’s SELECT cardiovascular outcome showed a 20% reduction in CV events. The study was conducted for five years on 17,604 patients who were obese or overweight. The trial was initiated in 2018. The FDA nod was based on the results of […]
Novo Weight Loss Drug Semaglutide (Ozempic’s) Reduces Kidney Disease Progression
Novo Semaglutide, aka Ozempic, has added another feather to the cap besides reducing body weight. Ozempic has been shown to reduce the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The FLOW trial has shown that administration of Semaglutide (1.0 mg) reduces the risk of kidney disease-related problems in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. This reduction is 24 […]
Versatile “Zepbound” by Eli Lilly Became the First Weight Loss Drug Approved by the FDA
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ZepboundTM (Tirzepatide) for weight management in 2023. This twincertin compound is approved for controlling blood sugar in patients suffering from T2DM. Trizepatide is a precise amalgamation of the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and Glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptors and has added advantage over Semaglutide, Liraglutide, Dulaglutide (agonist or activators of […]
