Research On Metabolic Stress Looks Hopeful.
A recent study at The University of Iowa has found that gentle stress on the muscle metabolism may be a preventative factor in obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The tests on mice discovered that when a type of metabolic stress was triggered, this increased levels of a hormone called fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21).
Results:
The animals were completely protected from obesity and diabetes.
Moreover, in those already showing signs of the condition, the hormone reversed it, helping them to return to a normal weight with normal blood sugar levels.
This is apparently due to a biological phenomenon known as ‘hormesis’, where a little bit of stress can be a good thing. The challenge now is to find a way to reprogramme muscle to make this hormone so it can be of therapeutic benefit.
There is more follow-up work planned. The findings have been published in the EMBO Journal. (Link to full article here)
Are Air-Pollution And Type 2 Diabetes Linked?
When a team of Leicester University scientist examined screening data from 10,443 people from across the county, they found some interesting information.
Taking into account age, ethnicity, income and lifestyle factors, the oral glucose tests evaluated exposure to air pollution, and drew a tentative conclusion that demographics played a large part in exposure in the first place. There will be more work done in the area of air-quality research to understand and act upon the findings further. (Link to full article here)