A new US study shows resistance training not only helps build muscle in older people, but may also ward off type 2 diabetes. After a 3 month resistance training program, a group of men and women in their early 60s showed significant improvements in glucose tolerance. The program consisted of working out three times a week.

The research confirms that glucose tolerance improved by 25% to 30% in the 12 week program without any weight loss. People lose their ability to metabolize sugar effectively as they age, even if they are otherwise healthy. Weight gain that often accompanies ageing worsens glucose tolerance and compounds diabetes risk. One in five Americans over 60 years has type 2 diabetes.

With consideration of this study - that number might reduce substantially as the sexagenarian gym membership's increase. There's plenty of room at my gym. Come one, come all!

Chromium picolinate is one of the most widely debated supplements in diabetes health. A study has shown that it improves glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes not adequately controlled while taking sulfonylurea, a drug that increases insulin release from the beta cells in the pancreas.

A 40-week study was designed to examine the effect of adding daily chromium picolinate supplementation to an antidiabetic medication, sulfonylurea. A commonly prescribed treatment for type 2 diabetes was given to 29 subjects for 24 weeks, in conjunction with either chromium picolinate or a placebo. Blood sugar levels of study participants taking chromium picolinate dropped significantly compared to the placebo group. In addition, insulin sensitivity for participants taking the chromium picolinate was increased when compared to those in the placebo group. Study participants taking chromium picolinate also experienced significantly lower abdominal body fat accumulation than the placebo group, and experienced less overall weight gain.

This study demonstrates that chromium picolinate supplementation for type 2 diabetes who are taking sulfonylurea agents significantly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control. In addition, chromium picolinate was shown to reduce weight gain and fat accumulation compared with the placebo group. The results of this study were first published in August 2006 - but knowing about chromium picolinate today leaves you with ample time to adjust for greater insulin sensitivity and less fattening days to come!

An artificial pancreas is a machine with a real-time glucose sensor and an insulin delivery system. This will enable a diabetic to maintain normal glucose and HbA1c levels by automatically providing the right amount of insulin at the right time, just as the pancreas does in people without the disease.

According to Dr. Aaron Kowalski, Director of Strategic Research Projects for JDRF, "When a person has type 1 diabetes, maintaining an acceptable blood sugar level is a constant struggle. Tight control is very difficult for most, and as a result diabetes patients run the risk of developing severe and even deadly complications. The artificial pancreas will revolutionize diabetes care because it carries the potential of eliminating these complications and easing the tremendous burden of diabetes."

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation launched the JDRF Artificial Pancreas Project in late 2005 to expedite the availability of this rapidly emerging technology for people with type 1 diabetes. Through research and advocacy, the JDRF project aims to speed regulatory approval, health insurance coverage, and clinician adoption of promising new artificial pancreas technologies.

Is anybody else excited about this? It won't be long before I can eighty-six the nuisance of checking my blood sugars and leave it up to the algorithms of a little robot software guy, behind the scenes. Okay, not exactly-but still, it would be awesome!