Category Archives: Diabetes

"Friendships are so necessary. Good quality friendships," Tiffani Martin said. "I really hope people see it and just really gives them hope."

DALLAS Tiffani Martin is already a social media influencer of sorts, imploring the Black community to pay better attention to the prevalence of diabetes that has brought her so many health challenges.

Now, one very good friend has stepped up to help her keep that message, and herself, alive.

I met Tiffani and her friend, Lisa Rachelle Winkley, at the Ervay Apartments, the historic converted space that once served as the U.S. Courthouse in Dallas.

"OK Tiffani we're smiling, look at me," Lisa said to her friend.

"Are we doing a selfie," Tiffani asked. "You're not supposed to take pictures of blind people without their consent," she joked.

"I just told you," Lisa laughed.

"No means no," Tiffani said as Lisa laughed. "No means no."

Diabetic retinopathy robbed Tiffani of her sight. Diabetes also led to a pancreas transplant and a kidney transplant. But the kidney, from a deceased donor, is failing now too.

"I did not know her story until we'd been friends for quite a while," Lisa said of their friendship going on about six years now.

They were just girlfriends, part of a four-woman book club, when Lisa secretly decided to get tested.

"I didn't think that hard about it. I really didn't," she admitted.

And, like the ending to a good novel, she was a perfect match.

"If I was in the same position I would want someone to help me," Lisa said. "There's no way I could continue to walk along in life, hang out with my friend, chat with her every day, knowing that I have something that she could use."

"And my kidneys are almost identical," she said doctors told her. "Which is really amazing. That just makes it more reassuring to give one away. Because I'm not gonna give my friend no junk," she said as they both laughed.

The transplant happens next week at Baylor Scott and White Health, where the experts know the average wait time for a donor kidney can take five years or more.

An estimated 5,000 people die each year in the U.S. without ever getting that chance.

Which makes Lisa's gift all that more amazing to Tiffani.

"It's mind-blowing," she said. "You just don't meet people like this at all."

Or often meet people ready to name the donor kidney.

"We thought about Kidney Spears," Tiffani said. "That was one!"

"We are going to name them after famous movie characters. Dionne and Cher from 'Clueless,'" Lisa said. "The one that I am giving her is going to be Cher since I am now "sharing" my kidney. And then I will keep Dionne," she laughed.

"Tell him about your playlist," Tiffani said.

Yes, they even have a kidney playlist for their hospital stay featuring artists like Selena Gomez, Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner who have also had kidney transplants.

"Maybe we also need to have like a kidney handshake that we make up," Lisa said about their post surgery routine, with rooms they plan to decorate in a "Hello Kidney" theme.

Lisa, by the way, is a professional event planner.

So really, this isn't a story about kidney transplants. It's about something else.

"Friendships are so necessary. Good quality friendships," Tiffani said. "Just to have that anchor. I really hope people see it and just really gives them hope."

Hope from someone who also knows the art of a good selfie.

"Now do your pucker lips because I just did that and it looked good," Lisa laughed as she got Tiffani to pose for one more selfie. "Now we have some decent pictures Tiffani!"

Decent pictures... and one very decent friend.

The transplant is scheduled for next Tuesday at Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas.

Excerpt from:
The perfect match: North Texas woman donating kidney to help save best friends life - WFAA.com

Despite the similarity in name, ketosis and ketoacidosis are two different things.

Ketoacidosis refers to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and is a complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Its a life-threatening condition resulting from dangerously high levels of ketones and blood sugar.

This combination makes your blood too acidic, which can change the normal functioning of internal organs like your liver and kidneys. Its critical that you get prompt treatment.

DKA can occur very quickly. It may develop in less than 24 hours. It mostly occurs in people with type 1 diabetes whose bodies do not produce any insulin.

Several things can lead to DKA, including illness, improper diet, or not taking an adequate dose of insulin. DKA can also occur in individuals with type 2 diabetes who have little or no insulin production.

Ketosis is the presence of ketones. Its not harmful.

You can be in ketosis if youre on a low-carbohydrate diet or fasting, or if youve consumed too much alcohol.

If youre in ketosis, you have a higher than usual level of ketones in your blood or urine, but not high enough to cause acidosis. Ketones are a chemical your body produces when it burns stored fat.

Some people choose a low-carb diet to help with weight loss. While there is some controversy over their safety and long-term sustainability, low-carb diets are generally fine. Talk to your doctor before beginning any extreme diet plan.

DKA is the leading cause of death in people under 24 years old who have diabetes. The overall death rate for ketoacidosis is 2 to 5 percent.

People under the age of 30 make up 36 percent of DKA cases. Twenty-seven percent of people with DKA are between the ages of 30 and 50, 23 percent are between the ages of 51 and 70, and 14 percent are over the age of 70.

Ketosis may cause bad breath. Ketones are broken down for use as a fuel source, and acetone is one of the byproducts that is excreted from the body in the urine and breath. This may smell fruity, but not in a good way.

On the other hand, the symptoms of ketoacidosis are:

DKA symptoms can also be the first sign that you have diabetes. In one study of hospital admissions for DKA, 27 percent of people admitted for the condition had a new diagnosis of diabetes.

A low-carbohydrate diet can trigger ketosis. That is because a low-carb diet will cause you to have less glucose in your blood, which will, in turn, cause your body to burn fat for energy instead of relying on sugars.

Poor diabetes management is a leading trigger for DKA. In people with diabetes, missing one or more insulin dose, or not using the right amount of insulin, can lead to DKA.

An illness or infection, as well as some drugs, can also prevent your body from using insulin properly. This can lead to DKA. For example, pneumonia and urinary tract infections are common DKA triggers.

Other possible triggers include:

Having a diet low in carbohydrates is a risk factor for ketosis. This may be purposeful, for instance, as a weight-loss strategy. People on restrictive diets or people with an eating disorder may be at a higher risk for ketosis.

Type 1 diabetes is the main risk factor for DKA. In one study of people with DKA, researchers found that 47 percent had known type 1 diabetes, 26 percent had known type 2 diabetes, and 27 percent had newly diagnosed diabetes

If you have diabetes, a main risk factor for DKA is not following the routine for blood sugar management that your doctor recommends.

Researchers looked at diabetes in children and teenagers. They found that one in four participants had DKA when their doctor first diagnosed them with diabetes. Additional risk factors include:

You can get a simple blood test to detect the level of ketones in your blood. You can use the level of ketones to determine if you have ketosis or DKA.

You may also be able to take a urine test at home. For this test, youll place a dipstick into a clean catch of your urine. It will change colors based on the level of ketones in your urine.

Diabetics who are losing weight will have often have low to moderate levels of ketones, which doesnt increase your risk for diabetic ketoacidosis if your blood sugar is managed and within normal ranges.

Your risk for DKA increases as your ketone levels rise and your blood sugar is above 250mg/dL (14 mmol/L).

Blood ketone tests are the ideal method for diabetics to check ketone levels because they measure the levels of beta-hydroxybutyric acid, the primary ketone involved in ketoacidosis.

You should go to your doctor or the emergency room immediately for evaluation and treatment if you have diabetes, or you take care of someone with diabetes, and you notice any of the symptoms of DKA. Call 911 if the symptoms worsen quickly.

Prompt treatment for DKA can save you or your loved ones life.

Your doctor will want to know the answers to these questions:

Your doctor will perform a physical exam. Theyll also do a blood test to check your electrolytes, glucose, and acidity. The results from your blood test can help your doctor determine if you have DKA or other complications of diabetes. Your doctor may also perform:

Illness can affect diabetes and increase your blood sugar level. The American Diabetes Association recommends that you check for ketones every four to six hours if you have a cold or the flu, or when your blood sugar is higher than 240 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

You can monitor blood sugar and ketones with over-the-counter test kits. You can monitor your blood sugar using a blood test strip, and you can test for ketones using a urine test strip.

Some blood glucose meters also have the ability to check for blood ketones like Nova Max Plus and Abbott Precision Xtra.

If you have ketosis, youll not need to receive treatment.

You may need to go to the emergency room or stay in the hospital if you have DKA. Treatment usually involves:

Ketosis generally isnt dangerous. Its usually related to a planned, low-carbohydrate diet or a transient condition related to diet.

DKA can improve with treatment within 48 hours. The first step after recovery from DKA is to review your recommended diet and insulin management program with your doctor.

Make sure you understand what you have to do to keep diabetes under control. Talk to your doctor if youre unclear about anything.

You may want to keep a daily log to track your:

Keeping a log can help you monitor your diabetes and flag any warning signs of possible DKA in the future.

If youre sick with a cold, the flu, or an infection, be especially alert for any possible symptoms of DKA.

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The summer season calls for having all things cold and delicious. You could enjoy any kind of aerated drinks, some coolers, juices and whatnot. However, these drinks are not always suitable for everyone, especially diabetic patients. Those who have diabetes are always told to have a low GI diet to avoid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. So, it goes without saying that any kind of sugary drink is not suitable. But if you are still in search of certain drinks that can help to beat the heat, fret not. We have just what you need. Today, we bring you a list of some desi summer drinks recipes that will keep you cool and may help manage diabetes too. Before adding any of these ingredients to your diet, kindly consult a medical professional.

(Also Read:Diabetes Diet: Neem Tea May Help Manage Blood Sugar Levels - Recipe Inside)

Barley, often known as jau, is high in insoluble fibre, making it a healthy choice for diabetics. It is beneficial to diabetics since it helps to maintain blood glucose levels. To get the best benefits, make sure you drink unsweetened barley water.

Coconut water is 94% water and has a very low-calorie content. Potassium, vitamin B, electrolytes, amino acids, enzymes, and numerous plant hormones are found in coconut water.

Ginger aids the management of long-term blood sugar control and may minimise the detrimental effects of diabetes on the eyes. Add lemon to water with grated or shredded ginger.

(Also Read:Diabetes Diet: This Refreshing Tomato Juice May Help Manage Diabetes Too (Recipe Inside)

Coming from East India, Sattu is a blend of chickpea flour as the main ingredient. Sattu Sharbat is made from sattu, water, lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, mint leaves, and black salt. It is extremely hydrating and high in protein.

Karela, or bitter gourd, is another summertime favourite that contains an insulin-like chemical called Polypeptide-p or p-insulin, which helps to naturally battle the symptoms of diabetes. Since karela juice is bitter, you can mix it with some apples.

Make these delicious recipes, and let us know which one was your favourite!

Excerpt from:
Diabetes Diet: 5 Summer Drinks That Will Keep You Cool In The Heat - NDTV Food

Getting a diabetes diagnosis can feel extremely defeating, especially when it comes to your diet. Many people assume that having diabetes means they have to give up all of the foods they love, especially carbohydrates. But what many don't realize is that even something as carb-heavy and delicious as bread can be a regular part of your diet even if you have diabetes!

According to medical board expertLaura Burak, MS, RD, author ofSlimdown with Smoothies, and founder ofLaura Burak Nutrition, the best bread you can choose for diabetes is whole grain bread.

"Whether you are diabetic or not, I always recommend choosing a bread that is made with whole grain flour(s)," says Burak. "But beware, bread is one of the most confusing foods on the market."

Learn more about why Burak believes the best bread for diabetes is whole grain, as well as her advice for how to find the right ones when you're at the grocery store. For even more healthy eating tips, check out The 5 Best Fruits to Eat If You Have Diabetes.

It's often assumed that if someone is diabetic or pre-diabetic that they would need to avoid any type of carb or bread item. However, this simply isn't true. While limiting your consumption of refined carbohydrates and added sugars is important, eating whole grains can actually help if you have diabetes or are at risk.

In one recent study published in the British Medical Journal, it was discovered that a higher consumption of whole grains was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The whole grains in this study included whole grain bread, oats, cereals, brown rice, and wheat germ.

So where do these benefits come from? One of the main reasons whole grains are good for those with diabetes is their high fiber content. According to the CDC, fiber is helpful because your body can't break it down and absorb it in the same way as it does with other foods, so it doesn't lead to a sudden rise in your blood sugar.

Medical News Today also notes that while white rice and white bread is high on the glycemic index, whole grains are much lower. This essentially just means that whole grains impact your blood sugar much less.

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According to Burak, there are a few main things you'll want to look for when you're navigating the grocery store in search of the best whole grain breads.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

"Just glance down the bread aisle and you will see dozens of brands and varieties that can sit on the shelves for weeks without spoiling. That is the first red flag and why sprouted breads like Food for Life Ezekiel or fresh grainy bakery breads are ideal. They must be frozen quickly because they don't have preservatives and other fillers like the ones in the bread aisle," says Burak.

She also notes that certain brands may use misleading words on their packaging. "When navigating the bread aisle, take note that the deceiving words "made with whole grains" or "good source of whole grain" are simply for marketing and don't mean much," says Burak, "so flip over the bag and always check out the ingredients. If the first or second ingredient is whole wheat flour, oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, or brown rice, you can be confident that the bread is in fact made with whole grains."

At the end of the day, Burak wants readers to know that you don't have to give up bread if it's something you enjoy.

"I just want to say to anyone reading this, please incorporate bread into your diet if you love it. Do not be afraid of this wonderful food. It is one of the most basic foods, and although it's been demonized, it has been around for thousands of years and if you pick a quality bread most of the time, it can be part of a healthy and delicious diet."

Original post:
The #1 Best Bread to Eat if You Have Diabetes, Says Dietitian Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Diabetes is a condition that causes a person to develop hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar. It is a metabolic disorder and can affect a persons metabolism, which is how the body makes energy from food.

This article will look into whether diabetes is a metabolic disorder and how doctors diagnose these types of disorders.

Metabolic disorders affect a persons metabolism, which refers to the processes the body uses to create or obtain energy from their food.

These types of disorders can lead to an individual producing too much or too little of certain essential chemicals. This can lead to problems with how the body breaks down food for energy.

Metabolic disorders can occur due to issues with a persons organs. Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is an example of a metabolic condition that can occur due to liver disease.

PCT prevents certain enzymes from facilitating the production of heme, the substance that gives blood its red color. This leads to a buildup of these enzymes, which can result in painful skin lesions. PCT can develop due to hepatitis C, a disease that affects the liver.

Other metabolic disorders can be genetic, including hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that causes a person to absorb too much iron. As the condition is genetic, it passes down from a persons biological parents.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes is a metabolic disorder.

When a person eats food, their body breaks it down into different components. Glucose is a type of sugar that comes from the food an individual consumes. It is an important substance, as it provides energy for a persons cells. After the body extracts it from food, the glucose enters the bloodstream and travels throughout the bodys cells.

Having diabetes can cause a person to have too much glucose in their bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone that comes from the pancreas, helps glucose enter a persons cells. Diabetes can affect how the body uses or creates insulin. This can lead to a buildup of glucose in the blood.

There are several forms of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the main types of the condition.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5% and 10% of diabetes cases. Both of these forms of the condition are metabolic disorders.

Although the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, medical experts believe it results from an autoimmune disease, a condition that causes the immune system to attack healthy cells. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys cells that produce insulin.

Having type 1 diabetes results in a person having no or very little insulin.

When a person has type 2 diabetes, their body does not produce or use insulin effectively. Type 2 diabetes is more likely to develop in people:

Doctors can diagnose metabolic disorders with various screening tests. These tests measure the amount of certain substances in a persons blood or urine. The type of test an individual undergoes will depend on the metabolic disorder the doctor is diagnosing.

When diagnosing these disorders, a doctor might ask about a persons symptoms. They may also perform a physical exam and ask about their family history.

A healthcare professional may also need to test a persons tissues to measure the presence of certain substances. This can involve a person having a biopsy, where a doctor removes a sample of tissue from an organ, such as the skin or liver, for testing.

If a person has a family history of a certain condition, a doctor can use genetic testing to see if they also carry the gene for that disorder. Genetic testing can help doctors confirm a diagnosis or determine an individuals likelihood of developing that disorder.

Doctors can diagnose diabetes using several types of blood tests, including:

A person with a family history of diabetes could also have a free test to determine if they have the condition.

The treatment approach for diabetes can depend on the type a person has. If they have type 1 diabetes, they need insulin several times a day. Those with type 2 diabetes may need infrequent doses of insulin.

A person can take insulin in several ways, including:

An individual with type 2 diabetes can help manage their condition by eating a nutritious diet and exercising regularly.

A less common option for those with this condition is surgery. Doctors generally recommend this approach when lifestyle changes or medications are insufficient to manage a persons diabetes.

Doctors may also try bariatric surgeries, which are procedures to help people lose weight. These techniques can make a persons stomach smaller or reduce the number of calories they can absorb. This can lead to remission in people with type 2 diabetes.

Healthcare professionals may also recommend pancreatic islet transplantation, a procedure for those with type 1 diabetes. This technique involves replacing a persons pancreatic islet cells with those from a donor. Pancreatic islet cells are a group of cells in the pancreas that make insulin.

Another treatment for diabetes is the use of an artificial pancreas. This is an automated insulin-delivery system consisting of a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump. The system automatically monitors a persons blood glucose levels, calculates the amount of insulin they need at different points during the day, and delivers it.

There is no cure for diabetes. However, a person can typically manage it with medications and lifestyle changes.

Without treatment, a person with diabetes can experience health problems such as:

Metabolic disorders affect a persons metabolism, and diabetes is one such condition.

Doctors can diagnose metabolic disorders using a combination of tests, physical exams, and questions about a persons family history.

Although diabetes is not curable, people can usually manage it with medications and lifestyle changes.

If a person notices any signs of diabetes, they should speak with their doctor. Without treatment, diabetes can result in various health complications and can be fatal.

Original post:
Is diabetes a metabolic disorder: What to know - Medical News Today

BASEL, Switzerland, May 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascensia Diabetes Care, a global diabetes care company, maker of CONTOUR blood glucose monitoring (BGM) system portfolio and distributor of the Eversense continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system, announces a new study demonstrating that people who use the connected CONTOUR BGM systems (BGMS) and CONTOURDIABETES App (CDA) for at least six months can see a reduced frequency of hypoglycaemic and hyperglycaemic blood glucose readings (BGRs). BGRs in these out-of-target ranges can lead to serious health complications, suggesting a key benefit of using Ascensia's connected CONTOUR BGMS and CDA together (the CDA system). Real-world data from this study were presented at the International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) 2022.

The study, which assessed data from 7,047 CDA system users in Australia, demonstrated a reduction in frequency of BGRs within both hypoglycaemic (low) and hyperglycaemic (high) ranges.After six months, the estimated frequency of BGRs in high and very high ranges in people using the CDA system fell by more than 6.5-times and 5.6-times, respectively, compared to baseline.This decrease was more prominent among users who reported the use of oral antidiabetic medications, at 7.37-times less than baseline.The decrease of BGRs in the low range was modest at 1.2-times in the entire assessed population, and at 1.38-times in CDA system users who were treated with insulin and are more prone to hypoglycaemic events. These data suggest improved glycaemic control when using the CDA system for at least six months and, more generally, a key benefit in using connected BGMS, including apps, to support the management of diabetes.

The majority of CDA system users in the assessed group were people with type 2 diabetes (66.9%), for whom improvement of glycaemic control is associated with the reduced progression of diabetes-related complications[1]. As diabetes apps continue to permeate clinical care, these findings offer the potential to explore how connected BGMS with visibility and accessibility of blood glucose readings can support self-management for people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Frank Held, Head BGM Marketing and Strategy at Ascensia Diabetes Care, said: "We're pleased to see results from the study showcasing that our CDA system is helping people with diabetes to manage their condition. While many diabetes apps support people with diabetes in managing their condition, they don't all provide alerts or guidance for hypoglycaemic or hyperglycaemic events, like theCONTOURDIABETES App does. Failure to properly address these events can result in serious health complications, so it is crucial that monitoring systems and connected apps facilitate the detection of high and low blood glucose levels."

Before this study, there were limited data assessing the impact of diabetes apps in Australia, particularly in a 'real world' setting. In addition, while evidence suggests that there are hundreds of diabetes apps that support people with diabetes in managing their blood glucose, only a third of these apps have alerts or guidance for hypoglycaemic and or hyperglycaemic events[2]. If these events are not addressed, they can become severe and lead to serious complications[3], so it is of utmost importance that monitoring tools help people with diabetes to manage these events.

The poster featuring this research, titled 'Assessment of Blood Glucose Readings of People with Diabetes in Australia who were using the connected CONTOURBGMS and CONTOURDIABETES App,' was presented from a study led by Wendy Mak PhD, Scott Pardo PhD, PStat, and Rimma Shaginian, MD, MPH. ATTD 2022 took place in Barcelona, Spain from April 27-30, 2022.

1.Stratton, IM, et al. Association of glycaemia with macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (UKPD 35); prospective observational study. BMJ 2000; 321: 205-412.

2.Lum E, Jimenez G, Huang Z et al (2019) Decision support and alerts of apps for self-management of blood glucose for type 2 diabetes. JAMA 321(15):1530 15301532. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.1644.

3.Mayo Clinic. 2022. Hyperglycemia in diabetes - Symptoms and causes. [online] Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperglycemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373631 [Accessed April 2022].

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SOURCE Ascensia Diabetes Care

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ASCENSIA DIABETES CARE PRESENTS NEW RESEARCH SHOWING THAT PEOPLE USING THE CONTOUR BLOOD GLUCOSE MONITORING SYSTEM AND APP EXPERIENCE FEWER...

If you are a diabetes patient, then your cup (literally) has to be filled with conscious choices of beverages that do not affect your blood sugar levels. Therefore, you have to always steer clear of sugary drinks, caffeinated concoctions, certain fruit juices and even syrups. However, do you know if teas should be in your diet and how might they impact your health?

While not all teas are good for you, there are a few which may be able to help your health, and keep your diabetes under control. Heres a list of four such teas that you must embrace (with your doctors permission ofcourse) and add some flavour (and colour) to your life, without disturbing the delicate balance of sugar in your blood.

Hibiscus Tea

Black Tea While you cannot dream of adding sugar to your tea if you have diabetes, you can continue to have your English Breakfast or Earl Grey without any worry. These teas fall in the category of black tea which is considered to be good for diabetic patients because it has blood sugar lowering qualities. It is also rich in antioxidants and can reduce the blood sugar in pre-diabetic individuals. According to a study conducted in Thailand, it was found that black tea is a promising anti-diabetic tea which can control the glycemic levels.

Chamomile TeaApart from promoting a good nights sleep, this tea is great for the overall well being of diabetic patients. It not only regulates blood sugar level, but also helps in reducing oxidative stress, which leads to several diabetes related complications. Studies have shown that it also reduces HbA1c and insulin levels in diabetic patients.

Cinnamon TeaCinnamon is a versatile spice and has many uses, but cinnamon tea or any other cinnamon infused drinks are also not devoid of benefits. Studies show that having this tea before taking in sugar solutions, decreases blood sugar levels. According to another study, 6 grams of a cinnamon supplement daily for 40 days is likely to reduce pre-meal glucose levels in non-diabetic patients too. This spice is said to slow down the release of glucose in the blood stream improving cellular glucose, and insulin sensitivity.

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Not all beverages are bad for diabetes patients. Hibiscus tea, cinnamon drinks keep blood sugar in check - Economic Times

People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may be at a higher risk of developing the autoimmune disease Type 1 diabetes, according to a study of more than 27 million people across the United States.

Researchers found that patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, were 42% more likely to develop Type 1 diabetes than those who did not contract COVID-19 during the study period.

The risk is highest among the youngest of pediatric patients (those under the age of 1 were at an increased risk of 584%) and elevated among older adult patients with COVID-19. The researchers also observed differences across race and ethnicity, with risk of Type 1 diabetes associated with a COVID-19 infection being most pronounced among American Indian/Alaskan Native (130% increased risk), Asian/Pacific Islander (101%), and Black patients (59%).

Trenton Honda, clinical professor and associate dean in the Bouv College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University

Particularly in pediatric populations, [COVID-19] is not usually a life-threatening, oftentimes not serious, condition. But Type 1 diabetes is usually a lifetime illness that requires dramatic amounts of contact with the medical community, increases your risk of death, increases your risk of long-term comorbidity, says Trenton Honda, clinical professor and associate dean in Northeasterns Bouv College of Health Sciences, and a member of the research team led by Fares Qeadan at Loyola University Chicago.

Our interest is really looking at the question, Are there going to be hidden costs, even among those who are not at high risk from COVID itself, because of COVID, later on? Honda says.

The scientists also probed whether patients who had Type 1 diabetes before contracting COVID-19 were more likely to suffer a serious, life-threatening complication called diabetic ketoacidosis after being infected with the virus. They found that those patients who had Type 1 diabetes and then were infected had a 126% increased risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis compared to those who did not get infected. Their results were published in the journal PLOS One earlier this month.

Honda uses the word association when referring to the increased risk, careful not to say that a COVID-19 infection causes Type 1 diabetes onset.

We are the first study in the U.S. population in a really, really big national dataset to be able to say that people who got COVID appear to be at higher risk of developing Type 1 diabetes, although were not able to say that COVID caused that increased risk. It could be any number of things, he says. To establish that causal connection, Honda says, researchers would need to do a randomized controlled trial. Instead, the team looked at the anonymized data of more than 27 million people who came into contact with hospital medical care across the U.S. from December 2019 through the end of July 2021.

Theres other evidence that links COVID-19 infection to increased risk of being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. SARS-CoV-2 is not the first virus to be associated with an increased risk of Type 1 diabetes onset. It has also been linked to several viral infections such as mumps, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and Epstien-Barr virus.

It all comes down to the pancreas.

All of the cells in your body rely on sugar (glucose) for fuel, Honda explains. But some cells require prompting by a hormone called insulin in order to absorb glucose from the blood. Insulin is produced by the pancreas in response to changes in blood sugar.

Type 2 diabetes is typically an issue of insulin resistance developing in those cells that require it. But Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, Honda explains. Essentially your body produces antibodies and immune cells that go in and destroy the cells that produce insulin. So you end up with this precipitously low insulin level over time. And what that means is that the cells in our body that need insulin to get sugar into them stop using sugar and they start using fats. And by doing so, they change the entire metabolism of the body and institute an acidotic state that ultimately is fatal.

Before what Honda calls one of the greatest moments in all of medical history when insulin was purified from pigs, Type 1 diabetes was a death sentence. Now, its a lifelong disease that is survivable with glucose monitoring and insulin injections.

With other viruses, scientists think that the way the virus invades the cells in the pancreas causes them to spontaneously die, Honda explains. And when they die, the immune system mobilizes to destroy those dead cells. The idea, he says, is that this might foster the development of an autoimmune response to those cellsand it could get out of control and continue attacking those vital insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

This is the way that other viruses are presumed to lead to Type 1 diabetes, Honda says. So thats the logic behind this study.

This study focused on COVID-19 cases in the absence of vaccines. Honda says the next big question is to determine whether immunization against SARS-CoV-2 is linked to any further or minimized risk of Type 1 diabetes.

The research team also aims to study associations between 40 other autoimmune diseases and COVID-19 infections.

If we think about just the burden of disease that COVID causes, its quite possible that the immediate disease is going to have a much, much smaller impact, particularly on people who are at low risk from the disease itself, Honda says. And we might end up with a huge number of lifelong disorders that developfrom the exposure to COVID.

For media inquiries, please contact Marirose Sartoretto at m.sartoretto@northeastern.edu or 617-373-5718.

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Study finds link between COVID-19 infections and Type 1 diabetes - Northeastern University

By Will Atwater

Eastern North Carolina has some of the highest rates of diabetes in the state.

There are two forms of diabetes type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disorder in which the immune system destroys insulin producing cells needed to regulate blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Factors associated with type 2 diabetes include diet, exercise and environment.

In 2020, the U.S. diabetes average was 10.6 percent, while the North Carolina average was 12.4 percent, according to American Health Rankings 2021 Annual Report. During this same period, the annual County Health Rankings report noted that Columbus County recorded a 19 percent diabetes rate, Pender County was at 15 percent and Brunswick showed a rate of 14 percent. These counties are a part of the lower Cape Fear River Basin.

Thats why its worrisome that a recent study suggests that middle-aged women exposed to forever chemicals may be at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Those forever chemicals are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Theyre a family of synthetic chemicals that includes more than 4,700 substances, none of which are federally regulated. Theyve been a subject of scrutiny in eastern North Carolina since 2017, when researchers found that the Chemours chemical facility near Fayetteville had been dumping one of the PFAS chemicals known as GenX into the Cape Fear River for decades.

A key point in the findings, published in the journal Diabetologia, is that women who were exposed to a mixture of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than the women who were exposed to only one of the chemicals.

The studys authors wrote that this finding suggested, a synergistic effect of multiple PFAS on diabetes risk.

Based at the University of Michigan, the researchers tracked a mixed race group of 1,237 women with a median age of 49.4. They followed them for 17 years, from the turn of the century until 2017. Four out of five of the women had at least some college education.

The researchers found that of the overall group studied, Black women who were less educated, less physically active, had a larger energy intake and higher BMI at baseline, were more likely to develop diabetes than the other participants.

PFAS have been manufactured and used by industries worldwide since the 1940s, used in everything from Teflon pans to raincoats to dental floss. They are also used in firefighting foams.

The two most extensively produced and studied, PFOA and PFOS, have been phased out in the U.S., but they dont break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and in human bodies, hence the moniker forever chemicals. There is a growing body of evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects.

Although all the health effects of PFAS are still not completely clear, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they are believed to impact the immune system and may reduce antibody responses to vaccines, including those for COVID-19.

Additionally, studies on laboratory animals have found a link between PFAS and liver, kidney, testicular, pancreas and thyroid cancer. Studies also suggest that PFAS can cause high cholesterol, pregnancy problems and immune suppression.

The studys researchers suspect that the molecular structures of different PFAS mimic naturally occurring fatty acids. Those fatty acids trigger receptors in the bodys cells that are sensitive to fat and insulin and control the formation and development of fat cells. Those receptors also exercise control of the bodys fat and blood sugar levels.

If PFAS chemicals are fooling the fat and insulin receptors in cells, that could disrupt their behavior and suggest a possible way that these substances affect diabetes risk.

In other words, there may be environmental factors beyond ones ability to control diet and exercise, for instance, that contribute to diabetes risk factors, the research suggests.

The Lower Cape Fear River Basin, which provides drinking water to Columbus, Pender and Brunswick counties, among others, is contaminated with a class of PFAS known as GenX.

There are more than 257,000 people living in these three counties, which have diabetes rates of 19 percent, 15 percent and 14 percent respectively. In contrast, the states two largest counties, Mecklenburg and Wake, have diabetes rates of 8 percent and 9 percent respectively.

The study may offer insights into certain public health issues in this region.

North Carolina State University epidemiologist Jane Hoppin believes the study though started several years before North Carolina began tracking PFAS has overlap with respect to certain legacy chemicals and is worth attention.

While this is a [study] with older samples, it could be particularly relevant to people in North Carolina because our levels [of exposure] 22 years later, are like this general population sample [from] 20 years ago, she said.

Donald A. McClain, an endocrinologist at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, says that while the Michigan study is compelling, there are likely several other factors that contribute to a diabetes diagnosis, including diet, genetic disposition and environmental factors.

On the other hand, McClain acknowledged this study contributes to a growing body of research that points to the negative effects of human exposure to forever chemicals. He believes it is not too soon to act.

I would not be sad if the political and social response to this [study] was maybe even a little bit ahead of science, he said. If Im suddenly 75 percent sure, do I want to wait 10 years and be 99 percent sure?

And after 10 years, how many people have [been harmed]?

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Possible link between PFAS and diabetes in women - NC Health News - North Carolina Health News

Katrina Donahue, MD, MPH, and Laura Young, MD, PhD, received a grant from the National Institute of Health to increase uptake of diabetes self-management education. The study will focus on two factors: provider and diabetes care and education specialist engagement with patients, and patient peer support.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 37.3 million people live with diabetes. The challenges, costs, and complications of living with diabetes can be minimized with proper education. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) is well known to help persons with diabetes learn to cope with the uncertainties of life with diabetes, yet unfortunately is underutilized in our current health care setting. To address this concern, UNC School of Medicine faculty Katrina Donahue, MD, MPH, and Laura Young, MD, PhD, received a grant from the National Institute of Health to increase uptake of diabetes self-management education.

The study will focus on two barriers to DSMES:

Given the critical importance of self-management to diabetes success and the demonstrated value of DSMES class completion on diabetes outcomes, efforts to increase DSMES use have great potential to reduce the burden of this disease on individuals, states Donahue, faculty in the Department of Family Medicine.

Young, faculty in the Department of Medicine, adds, Making the referral process easy for providers by making it part of their workflow will help make sure patients who live with diabetes get standardized education, and peer support will inspire patients to actively participate.

To our knowledge, this will be the first effectiveness trial of Peer Support in relation to engaging and retaining patients in DSME. We are testing it within primary care clinics, the setting in which most persons with diabetes receive their care, claims Donahue.

I am excited to test out stakeholder informed, team-based population health approaches to further support people with diabetes, states co-investigator Jacquie Halladay, MD, MPH. The studys stakeholders are all a part of the North Carolina Network Consortium (NCNC), a diverse statewide consortium of providers, academic institutions, and patients that work to address pressing questions related to the delivery of primary care health services and the management of primary care problems. NCNC is funded by the NC TraCS Institute, whose data team researchers will work.

With the data gathered from this study, researchers intend to build a larger multi-site study with hopes that engaging providers and educators directly, teamed with peer-support services, will provide a blueprint for diabetes treatment moving forward. As Donahue explains, DSMES has the potential to improve diabetes outcomes significantly, but only to the degree that physician and patient barriers can be overcome.

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Donahue, Young Awarded NIH Grant to Study Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support | Newsroom - UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine