A recent study from the Salk Institute has uncovered a key factor that contributes to peripheral neuropathy in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Peripheral neuropathy affects nearly half of diabetic individuals and is characterized by weakness, numbness, and pain, particularly in the hands and feet.
This condition is caused by nerve damage resulting from elevated blood sugar levels. The new study has found that altered amino acid metabolism, specifically involving two amino acids—serine and glycine—plays a role in this nerve damage.
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are essential for many functions in the body, including the health of the nervous system. In particular, serine and glycine are involved in the production of sphingolipids, a type of fat that is abundant in nerve cells.
When the body doesn’t have enough serine, it is forced to use a different amino acid to make sphingolipids, altering their structure. These atypical sphingolipids can accumulate and lead to nerve damage.
The researchers made this discovery by studying diabetic mice. They found that mice with low levels of serine and glycine were more likely to develop peripheral neuropathy.
Interestingly, similar amino acid imbalances and sphingolipid changes have been observed in a rare human genetic disorder that causes peripheral nerve damage, suggesting that this process may occur in both mice and humans.
This finding is important because it highlights the role of so-called “non-essential” amino acids like serine, which the body can produce on its own, but which still play a critical role in maintaining nerve health.
Low levels of these amino acids can have serious consequences for the nervous system.
The study’s results suggest that monitoring amino acid levels in people with diabetes might help identify those who are at a higher risk of developing peripheral neuropathy. Furthermore, it opens the door to new potential treatments.
Serine, for example, is currently being tested in clinical trials for its ability to treat other conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and macular telangiectasia, and may also be useful in treating diabetic neuropathy.
This research underscores the importance of a balanced diet, including sufficient intake of both essential and non-essential amino acids, to support nerve health.
While serine and glycine are classified as non-essential because the body can produce them, maintaining healthy levels through diet could be important for people with diabetes, particularly those at risk of nerve damage.
Managing Neuropathic Pain in Diabetes
Neuropathic pain caused by diabetes can be difficult to manage, but there are several strategies that may help reduce pain and improve quality of life:
Control Blood Sugar: Keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range is one of the most important steps in preventing further nerve damage and reducing neuropathic pain.
Medications: Various medications are available to treat neuropathic pain. These include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and sometimes opioids. These drugs can help by either blocking pain signals or changing how the brain processes pain.
Topical Creams: Creams like capsaicin, derived from chili peppers, can be applied directly to the skin. Capsaicin works by reducing a chemical in the body that transmits pain signals to the brain.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS): TENS is a non-invasive therapy that uses a low-level electrical current applied to the skin. This therapy helps by stimulating the nerves and potentially blocking pain signals from reaching the brain.
Exercise: Regular physical activity can improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and help manage stress, all of which can contribute to reducing neuropathic pain.
Nutritional Supplements: Some studies suggest that supplements like alpha-lipoic acid and gamma-linolenic acid may help relieve neuropathic pain. Always consult a healthcare provider before adding supplements to your routine.
Managing neuropathic pain requires a personalized approach. It’s important to work closely with a healthcare provider to find the best combination of treatments, as each individual may respond differently to various therapies.
For those interested in learning more about how to manage chronic pain, there are also recent studies on how to live pain-free with arthritis, and how long COVID can contribute to ongoing pain.
This study, led by Christian Metallo, was published in Nature and sheds new light on the importance of amino acid metabolism in preventing nerve damage in people with diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies that pomace olive oil could help lower blood cholesterol, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more information about health, please see recent studies that blueberries strongly benefit people with metabolic syndrome, and results showing eggs in a plant-based diet may benefit people with type 2 diabetes.
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