Daily pill that could reverse diabetes brings hope to millions of sufferers - Daily Mail
- More than 2.5million Britons suffer from Type 2 diabetes
Last updated at 12:24 PM on 5th October 2011
A pill to treat or even prevent type 2 diabetes could soon be developed, according to scientists.
A study on diabetic mice found a compound, produced naturally by the body, successfully restored their normal blood sugar metabolism.
Researchers believe this could lead to people taking the compound like a daily vitamin to stop the condition from developing.
Type 2 diabetes affects more than two million Britons and is linked to lifestyle (picture posed by model performing diabetes test)
The findings have huge implications for the UK where there are at least 2.5million Britons who suffer from the disease.
The compound, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), plays a vital role in the way cells use energy.
Scientists in the US were able to normalise blood sugar levels in diabetic mice by injecting them with the chemical.
At the same time the jabs lowered raised levels of cholesterol and triglyceride blood fats.
The researchers are now working on a way of administering NMN to mice in drinking water.
'Once we can get a grade of NMN that humans can take, we would really like to launch a pilot human study,' said study leader Dr Shin-ichiro Imai, from Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis.
HOW TO SPOT THE WARNING SIGNS
RISK FACTORS
If you have two or more of the following, see your GP for a simple blood test...
- A waist measurement of 31.5in (80cm) or more for women; 37in (94cm) or more for men.
- Being overweight.
- Having a close family member, ie parent or sibling, with Type 2 diabetes.
- Being black or of South Asian origin.
CLASSIC WARNING SIGNS
- Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night.
- Increased thirst.
- Extreme tiredness.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush.
- Slow healing of cuts and wounds.
- Blurred vision.
For many, the first signs of diabetes are symptoms caused by complications. So also watch out for the following...
- Impotence and erectile dysfunction.
- High blood pressure.
- Poor circulation to the legs and feet.
- Gum disease.
Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, is linked to an unhealthy lifestyle.
The U.S. scientists triggered the condition in young, healthy mice by feeding them a high-fat diet.
All had reduced levels of a molecule called NAD that harvests energy from nutrients and turns it into a form cells can use.
In both mice and humans, NAD is derived from NMN made by cells via a chain of biological reactions.
One of NAD's effects is activation of SIRT1, a protein that has been shown to promote healthy metabolism throughout the body.
Although NAD is too toxic to be administered directly, the scientists were able to raise its levels in mice by injecting them with NMN.
After the treatment, the animals showed dramatically improved responses to glucose.
In the case of female mice, tests showed their ability to move glucose from the blood to organs and tissues had returned to normal. Male mice also showed an improvement, but were not completely normalised.
The gender difference might be explained by hormonal effects, the scientists believe.
Dr Jun Yoshino, also from Washington University, who co-authored the research published in the journal Cell Metabolism, said: 'I'm very excited to see these results because the effect of NMN is much bigger than other known compounds or chemicals.
'Plus, the fact that the body naturally makes NMN is promising for translating these findings into humans.'
In older mice, around 15 per cent of healthy males fed a normal diet also developed diabetes.
Glucose response improved in these animals after just one injection of NMN. The same treatment had no adverse effects on older mice not suffering from diabetes.
Few elderly female mice developed the disease unless they were switched to a high-fat diet.
'Again, when we injected these females with NMN, we came up with a completely normal glucose tolerance curve,' said Dr Kathryn Mills, another member of the Washington University team.
'We can also see that the NMN has completely reversed and normalised the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and free fatty acids.'
People with a good supply of vitamin D have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, a study has found.
Researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, in Germany, said the vitamin could have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Study author Dr Barbara Thorand, said: 'In the winter months people often do no receive adequate supplies of the vitamin because of a lack of sunlight.
'If follow-up studies confirm out results, a targeted improvement in the supply of vitamin D to the public could also reduce the risk of developing diabetes.'
Oily fish, eggs and milk products all contain vitamin D.
The results will be published in the journal Diabetes Care.
05 Oct, 2011--
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