The Diabetes Blog

A diabetic would know well, how it feels when first diagnosed with the disease – at least sure of the fact that he has reached a point of no return in its onset. Today, there are 20.8 million children and adults — i.e. 7% of the population — in the United States alone are suffering from diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. And the most unfortunate part is that, while an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed, 6.2 million people – i.e. nearly one-third — are unaware that they are surviving with the disease. But, here is a good news for the diabetics. The disease is no more ‘a point of no return reaching’ thing. Researchers have uncovered a process that reveals the mystery how the body’s metabolism in a diabetic state after only relatively limited exposure to high glucose levels can be locked! The Dr Antonio Ceriello Warwick-led research team reveals that the damage in diabetic state seems to be done in a process — called glycation. This is how the team explains its findings: It is when early on in a period of high glucose levels glucose sugar molecules are able to bind to proteins in the mitochondria of cells (the parts of cells governing the production and regulation of energy). This persists even if glucose levels later fall to normal. This inhibits and distorts the mitochondria’s normal function and results in an overabundance of the production of free radicals (or Reactive Oxygen Species – ROS) which cause oxidation and thus continued diabetic complications. To avoid complication in diabetes, a very early tight control of glucose levels is needed is the key to it. Nevertheless, the control needs to be supplemented with the use of antioxidant agents, which can help mitigate the complications- progression. Image