A new study from the University of Kentucky has made an important discovery about what really causes inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes.
For many years, experts believed that high blood sugar (glucose) was the main reason behind the inflammation that comes with this condition. But this research shows something different—and surprising.
The scientists found that changes in mitochondria, which are the tiny parts of cells that make energy, and the effects of certain fats in the body are the real reasons behind long-lasting inflammation in people with type 2 diabetes. This is a big step forward in understanding the disease.
The study looked closely at what causes inflammation in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Until now, this part of the disease was not well understood, which made it hard to develop better treatments.
At first, the researchers thought that immune cells in people with type 2 diabetes used glucose (sugar) for energy, and that this process led to inflammation. But their research showed that wasn’t the case.
Instead, they discovered that the problem was linked to broken or damaged mitochondria and increased amounts of certain fat-based substances in the body. These two things together seem to trigger the immune system in a way that causes inflammation to keep going.
This finding is important because it challenges the current approach to treating type 2 diabetes. Many treatments focus mostly on lowering blood sugar. But now it seems that only focusing on sugar may not be enough. That’s because some people who manage their blood sugar well still have inflammation and their condition can get worse over time.
The researchers suggest that in the future, treatments should also look at improving how mitochondria work and reducing harmful fat-based substances in the body. This could lead to better results for patients and slow down or even stop the damage caused by type 2 diabetes.
This new way of thinking about the disease opens the door to new kinds of treatments that don’t just focus on sugar levels but on fixing the real sources of inflammation. The study was led by scientist Barbara Nikolajczyk and published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
This discovery could improve the lives of millions of people around the world who are living with type 2 diabetes.
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