For many years, doctors believed that high blood sugar was the main reason people with type 2 diabetes developed health problems. Because of this, most treatments for the condition have focused on lowering blood sugar levels.
Patients are often given medication and asked to follow strict diets to avoid sugar spikes. But a new study from the University of Kentucky is challenging that idea and pointing to a different root cause.
The study, led by Dr. Barbara Nikolajczyk and published in Cell Metabolism, found that the true source of inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes may not be sugar at all. Instead, the problem seems to come from issues with mitochondria and certain fats in the body.
Mitochondria are tiny structures inside each cell. Their main job is to create energy by turning nutrients into fuel for the body. They are often called the “power plants” of cells. When mitochondria don’t work properly, cells don’t get the energy they need, and this can lead to many health problems, including long-term inflammation.
Inflammation is a key issue in type 2 diabetes. It damages cells and tissues and makes it harder for the body to use insulin, the hormone that helps control blood sugar. For years, it seemed clear that high glucose levels were to blame. After all, people with diabetes have too much sugar in their blood, and sugar is known to cause harm if it stays too high for too long.
But Dr. Nikolajczyk’s team wanted to take a closer look. They focused on the immune cells of people with type 2 diabetes to see how these cells were producing energy. Usually, cells rely on a process called glycolysis, which uses glucose to make energy. Surprisingly, the researchers found that glucose wasn’t the main problem.
Instead, they discovered that the immune cells were being fed by substances made when the body breaks down fats. These fat derivatives were causing the immune cells to become overactive and inflamed. On top of that, the mitochondria in these cells weren’t working the way they should.
Together, these two problems—bad mitochondria and harmful fat byproducts—were driving the inflammation that leads to many of the serious complications seen in type 2 diabetes.
This is a big shift in how we understand the disease. If inflammation is caused more by mitochondrial dysfunction and fat metabolism than by blood sugar, then focusing only on glucose levels may not be enough.
In fact, the study helps explain why some people with well-controlled blood sugar still experience nerve damage, heart disease, kidney problems, and other issues linked to diabetes.
The findings open up the possibility for new kinds of treatments. Instead of only using medication to lower blood sugar, future therapies might include drugs or lifestyle changes that improve how mitochondria work or that lower the harmful fat-related substances in the body. This could lead to better control of inflammation and fewer complications.
Dr. Nikolajczyk and her team believe this research could lead to a major change in how doctors treat type 2 diabetes. By looking beyond sugar and addressing deeper causes, such as poor mitochondrial health and fat-driven inflammation, healthcare providers might be able to offer more complete and effective care.
In summary, this new research changes the way we think about type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar is still important, but it may not be the only—or even the main—cause of damage in the body.
By paying more attention to how energy is made in cells and how fats affect the immune system, scientists may be able to find better ways to help people with diabetes live longer, healthier lives.
This discovery is a powerful reminder that science is always moving forward. When researchers take a closer look at what’s happening inside the body, they can find new answers—and new hope—for millions of people around the world.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that flaxseed oil is more beneficial than fish oil to people with diabetes, and green tea could help reduce death risk in diabetes.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies that blueberries strongly benefit people with metabolic syndrome, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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