KFI: Cedars Study Identifies Possible Cause of Type 2 Diabetes
KFI-AM 640, a Los Angeles news radio station, recently interviewed Richard Bergman, PhD, director of the Sports Spectacular Diabetes and Obesity Wellness and Research Center at Cedars-Sinai, about a new study identifying that a liver condition may be the root cause of diabetes.
The study, published in the journal Diabetes, suggests that reduced hepatic insulin clearance – a condition in which the liver fails to eliminate excess insulin from the body – may cause Type 2 diabetes. The scientific community has long regarded hepatic insulin clearance to be a result of diabetes, but not a driver of the disease.
“Understanding the liver's role has wide potential to improve both diagnosis and treatment of Type 2 diabetes, especially for African Americans," Bergman told KFI-AM 640. Bergman was the corresponding author on the study.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting more than 30 million Americans. Patients with the disease cannot make use of insulin – which regulates blood sugar and enables cells to use it – or, patients cannot produce enough of it.
“It seems clear that the roles of insulin clearance and the underlying mechanisms and genetics deserve increased attention,” said Bergman.
As a next step, Bergman told KFI AM 640 that he and colleagues plan to pursue further studies to help clarify whether reduced hepatic insulin degradation can lead to Type 2 diabetes, at least in some at-risk groups.
Click here to read the complete article on the KFI-AM 640 website.
Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Tips for Parents of Kids with Diabetes