“New Study Reveals Natural Defense Against Insulin Shock”

A little over a century has passed since the discovery of insulin, a period of time during which the hormone’s therapeutic powers have expanded. Insulin is an essential treatment for type 1 diabetes. Roughly 8.4 million Americans use insulin, according to the American Diabetes Association. Medical Express

In a new study published April 20, 2023, a team of scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, along with colleagues elsewhere, describe a key player in the defense mechanism that protects us from excess insulin in the body..

said Michael Karen, senior author of the study, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacology and Pathology at The San Diego School of Medicine San Diego Although insulin is one of the most important hormones whose deficiency can lead to death, too much insulin can also be fatal..

And while the body fine-tunes insulin production, patients who are treated with insulin or drugs that stimulate insulin secretion often suffer from hypoglycemia, a condition that if not recognized or treated can lead to seizures, coma and even death, which Collectively defining a condition called “insulin shock”, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is an important cause of death among people with diabetes..

In the new study, Karen, first author Li Guo, PhD, a researcher in Karen’s lab, and colleagues describe the body’s “natural defense or safety valve” that reduces the risk of insulin shock..

This valve is a metabolic enzyme called fructose-1,6-phosphatase, which works to control gluconeogenesis, a process by which the liver synthesizes glucose (the primary source of energy used by cells and tissues) during sleep and secretes it to maintain a steady supply of glucose in the bloodstream. Blood. Some drugs that treat diabetes, such as metformin, inhibit glucose formation, but with no apparent ill effect.