Type 2 diabetes is a common and serious disease that causes high blood sugar levels.
Many people with this condition have high blood sugar even when they haven’t eaten for a while.
This is confusing for patients, but the reason is that their liver keeps making too much sugar, a process called gluconeogenesis.
Scientists are still trying to understand why this happens and how to stop it. A new research review led by Professor Manuel Vázquez-Carrera from the University of Barcelona explains what we now know and how this knowledge could lead to better treatments.
When someone has type 2 diabetes, their body becomes resistant to insulin. Insulin is the hormone that tells cells to absorb sugar from the blood. Because the cells don’t respond well, sugar builds up in the bloodstream.
The liver adds to this problem by making more sugar than needed. Some medicines like metformin can reduce this sugar production, but we still don’t fully understand how they work.
The new research shows that several factors affect sugar production in the liver. One of them is a molecule called GDF15, which can lower the amount of sugar the liver makes.
Another important pathway is TGF-β, which is linked to liver disease and may also increase sugar production in the liver. Blocking this pathway could help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar better.
But it’s not enough to focus on just one factor. The researchers believe that combination treatments, which target several different causes at the same time, will be more effective.
They are looking at many potential targets like TGF-β, TOX3, and TOX4—molecules that could be used to create new drugs. However, the challenge is that sugar production in the liver is very complex and changes depending on the body’s needs, especially during fasting.
Interestingly, scientists also found that patients with COVID-19 often had high blood sugar. This may be because the virus activated the same liver pathways that produce sugar, adding another layer to the problem.
Metformin, the most common drug for type 2 diabetes, works in several ways. One new discovery is that it blocks part of the mitochondria (the energy factory in cells), which lowers the building blocks needed for sugar production.
It also helps the gut take in more sugar and creates substances that tell the liver to make less sugar. On top of that, metformin boosts the release of a hormone called GLP-1 in the gut, which also lowers sugar production in the liver.
Now, the research team is studying GDF15 more closely and working to create new drugs that raise its levels in the body. If successful, these drugs could help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes by reducing sugar made in the liver and through other helpful effects.
This research brings hope for better treatments that are more effective and personalized for patients with type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about This drug combo can treat type 2 diabetes in the long run effectively and findings of Eating fewer than 3 meals a day may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about How to choosing the right fruits for type 2 diabetes and findings of New higher dose diabetes drug promises better blood sugar control and weight loss.
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