A recent discovery in medical research has brought new hope for people dealing with diabetes and obesity. This discovery involves a kind of medicine known as a “GLP-1R agonist.”
These drugs are already being used to help people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, but there’s something more exciting about them now.
First, let’s talk about insulin sensitivity. This is basically how well the body’s cells respond to insulin. Insulin is a very important hormone that helps control the amount of sugar in our blood.
When cells listen to insulin well, they help keep our blood sugar levels just right. However, in type 2 diabetes, cells stop responding well to insulin – a problem known as insulin resistance. So, improving insulin sensitivity is a big deal because it means insulin can do its job better.
Now, back to GLP-1R agonists. These drugs work by affecting our metabolism, helping to lower blood sugar by making the body produce more insulin.
Another type of medicine, called DPP-4 inhibitors, helps our body to use its own GLP-1 more effectively. GLP-1 is something our body naturally produces to control blood sugar.
Dr. Mona Mashayekhi, an expert in diabetes and metabolism, shared something surprising. She found that a specific GLP-1R agonist, called liraglutide, can quickly make cells more sensitive to insulin, and this effect doesn’t depend on weight loss.
This is interesting because, usually, we think of weight loss as a way to improve insulin sensitivity. But liraglutide seems to have a direct effect on it.
In a study, 88 people with obesity and pre-diabetes were divided into three groups. Each group received different treatments: some took liraglutide, others took a DPP-4 inhibitor called sitagliptin, and the last group tried to lose weight through a diet.
The study was special because it used a method where people switched treatments, allowing researchers to compare how each person reacted to different treatments.
The results were quite clear. Liraglutide was effective in improving insulin sensitivity very quickly – in just two weeks, even before any weight loss happened.
This finding is exciting because GLP-1R agonists are already known for helping lower blood sugar and helping with weight loss. They’re changing how doctors treat diabetes and obesity.
Dr. Mashayekhi’s previous research also showed that liraglutide, but not sitagliptin or diet alone, can help with heart disease and reduce inflammation. This matches what doctors see in clinics – that GLP-1R agonists can reduce heart problems in patients.
The research team is planning more studies to understand exactly how these drugs work. They want to know how they affect insulin sensitivity apart from weight loss and their effects on the body.
This could lead to even better medicines for diabetes and obesity in the future, tailored to each person’s needs. It’s an exciting time in the field of medicine, with these new discoveries opening doors to more effective treatments for these common health issues.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that eating more eggs is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and how to eat to reduce heart disease death risk if you have diabetes.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about high-protein diets linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and results showing Mediterranean diet could help reduce the diabetes risk by one-third.
The research findings can be found in Diabetes.
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