From the No, Duh file: Apparently diabetes doesn't stop destroying kidneys within the borders of India.

According to a recent study conducted there, diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) in that country.

The doctor who conducted the study offered another shocker when discussing the results of the study, stating that the "major reason behind diabetics developing kidney disease is uncontrolled diabetes." Wow.

The CafePharma message boards are for pharmaceutical sales professionals and those interested in the pharmaceutical industry. A former Lilly sales rep started a thread about Eli Lilly and the lies they've told over the years. Pro Lilly responses flooded in, as did the anti-Lilly responses. Yesterday, however, two comments seemed to hit the message board with a vengeance.

Comments #23 and #24 epitomize the anatomy of a good old fashioned debate. Comment #23 is an Eli Lilly sales rep who claims to have helped with the successful launch of rDNA insulin, and the conversion of patients on pig and cow insulin to Humulin. He remarked from the perspective of a salesman that it was a successful venture resulting in unilateral domination. In response to his yesteryear achievement - commenter #24 raised some wonderful counter-points for modern day consideration. The following paragraph summarizes the results 25 years after the market saturation of Humulin and genetically modified human insulin.

The adverse events include: (1) Complications of diabetes are increasing. (2) Dead-in-bed syndrome is up over 300%. (3) Traffic accidents caused by people using rDNA insulins are increasing (especially in Type 2). (4) rDNA insulins are producing immunogenic responses in the same manner and numbers in the diabetic population as did pig and cow insulins. (5) No long-term studies have ever been conducted to define the dangers of the synthetic insulin hormones relative to cancer and other diseases.

Of course my favorite point is the fact that recent studies have shown that the culprit in many Type 1 diabetics may actually be the human insulin antibody produced by the diabetic. This may be self-serving beyond Type 1 diabetics needing insulin - it's giving Type 2s the very same problem.

Story time!! Today is Bastille Day. The French National holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which was a mark of the French Revolution - a revolt against absolute power.

Although I am not French - I am convinced there needs to be a revolution against absolute power of the insulin cartel. You all know them very well - Lilly, Novo and Sanofi Aventis. You've been a loyal customer, in spite of the shortcomings of their products. One example of a shortcoming is the absence of C-peptide. It is found in proinsulin and protects cells from the complications resulting from long-term diabetes. The other is the possibility that another source of insulin might be better for your treatment than synthetic human insulin. The fact the US only offers genetically modified human insulin is not fair when it comes to balance of power. Does this sound like a revolution that a feisty diabetic like me is starting?

I am not here to tickle a revolution. I'm determined to achieve it. Every diabetic deserves the right to choose their insulin. This choice should not be made for you by those who profit from the sale. I'm a type 1. I am a diabetic because my body made antibodies for human insulin. Why must I use insulin that continues creating these antibodies? I'd like to use something a little different that makes antibodies for horse or cow or PIG insulin. Can I get some pork up in here, please? It's difficult to obtain. It's as difficult as Ricky Bobby trying to say something in French. This Bastille Day Blog is a proclamation. As a prisoner of the insulin cartel - I declare that there will be a choice one day soon. Given the choice - you might opt for an insulin revolution, too. Laissez-faire!

When treating diabetes, today's doctors focus on establishing blood glucose control, but often overlook the need to protect against common diabetic complications such as blindness, kidney damage, and nerve damage. The DCCT, even with a comprehensive treatment program, had a complication rate of approximately 40% of participants.

People who do not have diabetes make insulin with C-peptide. Those of us diabetics who inject synthetic insulin do not get the C-peptide. When scientists began developing insulin - they weeded out the pieces of the amino acid chain they felt were insignificant in lowering blood glucose. Synthetic insulin was designed to reduce the dangerous buildup of excess sugar in the bloodstream. Uh oh - hindsight is surprisingly clear! The long-term complications were initially thought to be caused by lack of insulin - not lack of something that should've been in it. It would make sense if insulin came equipped with this critically important element, wouldn't it?

Tada! C-peptide is the connecting peptide found on the amino acid chain of naturally produced insulin, but left on the cutting room floor in the lab. Studies have shown that C-peptide prevents the development and progression of many diabetic complications and was shown to improve glucose metabolism up to 66%.

Regardless of the potential profit decay C-peptide might cause the production of insulin - the bottom line is the salvation it will provide every man, woman, and child injecting insulin. If you're taking insulin injections, chances are you won't stop taking insulin because you're adding C-peptide to your daily lineup. Chances are - you'll be around a lot longer, and a lot healthier because you do not have the complications most often associated with long-term diabetes.

Wouldn't that be reason enough for you to celebrate the company that brings C-peptide to the drugstore nearest you? Consumer loyalty goes a long way. For those companies who knew a long time ago how beneficial C-peptide would be but didn't do a thing about it - is it really the 33% loss in insulin sales you didn't want to encounter? C'mon. We can handle the truth.

Tai Chi for Diabetes is easy to learn, effective and safe. It is designed to prevent and improve control of diabetes. The program will help to improve muscle strength, increase heart and lung activity, as well as improve balance and harmonize mind and body.

Gentle exercise helps people with diabetes by improving the control of blood glucose level. Tai chi is a gentle exercise with strong emphasis on mental relaxation, it is reasonable to assume tai chi can help to control diabetes by improving cellular uptake and glucose metabolism. Tai chi can also help mitigate the effects of stress, which is shown to make the control of diabetes worse. Tai chi reduces stress and improves relaxation.

The major problems of diabetes are complications such as hypertension, heart disease, visual impairment and vascular problem. Diabetes causes peripheral neuropathy, a condition that the nerves of feet are damaged thus affects balance and walking. Tai chi has been proven to be effective in improving balance and mobility.

The immense power of the mind has not been fully estimated. As one of the most effective mind-body exercise, Tai Chi teaches the student to be mindful of the intrinsic energy from which he or she can perceive greater self-control and empowerment. The mental training in Tai Chi will enhance clarity of the mind, improve relaxation and uplift mood.

The Tai Chi for Diabetes DVD costs $25. It includes 90 minutes of a general introduction of Tai Chi and diabetes, warm up and cooling down exercises, Qigong for Diabetes, 11 basic movements and 8 advanced movements. Viewers can learn different part at their own pace using the easy-to-learn and step-by-step instructions. If you prefer a less expensive option, you can order the Tai Chi for Diabetes Handbook for $10 or you can subscribe to the newsletter for free. Your budget, your decision.

Below I've included some feedback from people who have firsthand knowledge of Tai Chi for Diabetes. Here's what they have to say:

"I use your video a lot to perfect my technique, to check accuracy of movements, listen to instructions and recall various Tai Chi principles." Jana Solovka, Vic. Australia

"I have been practicing Tai Chi for over 20 years, and I have found no one that compares with Dr Lam - your presentation and expertise are what make the difference." Ted Stark, OR, USA

"The other day I was at the library and saw your video on the shelf... I was impressed with your presentation and the ease of following along. It is clearly one of the best Tai Chi instructional videos I have seen." Allan J. Glazer, DPM USA

Any headline that features die is bound to grab your attention. The headline appeared in an article published by The Scotsman. What the title lacks in sensitivity it makes up for in reader feedback. Both, statistically eye-popping and universally alarming, I give you extracts from the article and a few passionate responses from readers. How does it make you feel?

Research from Edinburgh University reveals the number of people diagnosed with type-2 diabetes will soar by 60% within the next ten years. This is mainly due to the obesity crisis, with current estimates showing a quarter of the population is likely to be classed as obese by 2018. Doctors say they are treating an increasing number of teenagers for type-2 diabetes, which traditionally only develops in older people. Being overweight is a strong factor in becoming a type-2 diabetic, which can lead to complications of diabetes like blindness, amputations, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure. Diabetes and complications therein are estimated to costs the NHS nearly a tenth of its yearly budget. With future expectations of diagnosis -- the strain on the NHS will get worse. Andy Kerr, the health minister, admitted diabetes would prove to be a time bomb if the Executive's healthy eating initiatives failed. But he ruled out screening children for diabetes or rationing healthcare for people diagnosed with type-2 because of their unhealthy lifestyles.

And now for the comments:

Commenter #3 says I daresay the Scottish obesity/diabetes problems predates devolution.
Commenter #9 says, The statistical analysis regarding type 2 diabetes is flawed; the medical profession have been guilty in prescribing drugs and reissuing prescriptions for drugs that are only safe for short periods. One such drug has had its usage limited by the authorities within the past 3 years in Scotland and has only been reclassified in England and Wales in the past 6 months. This drug is now listed as causing type 2 diabetes, how many more are there out there? Hence the statistical analysis is being used to cover a grave error that is to be covered up.
Commenter #20 says, Perhaps we should take a closer look at why our kids are obese. They are marooned in the house for most their lives and when they actually do go out mum or dad are suckered into driving them everywhere. Tackle the fear which causes this situation and you are half way to solving the obesity problem of our youngsters.

All things considered, what if this headline was featured in the New York Times or more revealing - the 5 o'clock news? How would you react to it?

Novartis SA reports the U.S. FDA has demanded additional data, including a clinical study in patients with kidney impairment, before giving Galvus its approval. Why the holdup?

The FDA wants more data studying Galvus in patients with impaired kidneys. It had been thought that Galvus might have an advantage because it is not processed by the kidneys, while Januvia is. But another molecule created when the body metabolizes Galvus does build up in the kidney.

In the Feb. 1 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, David M. Nathan, a Harvard Medical School endocrinologist, noted that it was surprising that the FDA decided to clear Januvia at all, given the "paucity of published data from long-term clinical trials on its safety and efficacy." Nathan is a consultant for Novartis and other drug makers but not Merck.

There are several potential concerns about DPP-4 drugs, clear evidence has not turned up in clinical trials so far. The medicines could affect the immune system, because a receptor on immune cells is very similar to DPP-4. Merck says that Januvia was designed to bind only to the DPP-4 enzyme, reducing the chances of these side effects. Patients with impaired kidneys have more of the drug in their bloodstream and would be more likely to experience side effects.

Many of us know that failure to properly manage diabetes can lead to financially stifling and disabling complications, heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputations to name a few. Between medications, supplies, durable goods (for those of you pumping), doctor's visits and training - diabetes can really decay your annual income. And yes, I'm talking about the copays. When an individual lacks health insurance altogether or has inadequate coverage, the costs are even greater.

As diabetes continues to rise -- it is increasing by 8 percent each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- state health coverage protections are becoming more important than ever.

See the Coming Attractions of Stewart Perry's interview with dLife Host Nicole Johnson Baker The Cost of Diabetes, October 1, on dLifeTV. Learn the ins and outs of dealing with insurance companies and how to best use the programs available for diabetics. dLifeTV can be seen every Sunday on CNBC at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm Pacific. Visit dLife for further information. It's all about diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has announced a set of new treatment guidelines for Type 2 diabetes. The aim is to promote effective management of hyperglycemia, which is essential for Type 2 diabetics hoping to avoid serious diabetes-related health complications such as kidney disease and nerve damage.

The guidelines consist of a consensus statement published in the latest issue of Diabetes Care (July 2006). This is expected to be of use to physicians, helping them counsel their diabetic patients. The ADA urges physicians to try patients on the drug metformin and to encourage diabetic patients to undergo lifestyle changes in order to avoid or reduce the need for prescription medications. The organization also recommends that doctors emphasize to their patients the importance of getting their blood sugar levels back to a level that is considered "normal." However, the ADA also says that physicians should not wait too long to begin insulin therapy if normal blood sugar levels are not achieved quickly, and to combine insulin therapy with regular checkups and adjustments at least every three months.

Obviously, developing Type 2 diabetes while you're still a young 'un is bad for your long-term health outlook, period. Here's a specific example of how it might negatively affect you or someone you know: a new study reports that kids or teens who develop T2 diabetes face a high risk of also developing serious kidney problems down the road, including kidney failure and even death.

The study looked at the long-term health records (almost forty years' worth) of Native Americans from a Southwestern tribe. It was found that the incidence of serious kidney disease in people under thirty-five years of age was much higher if they had first developed diabetes while under twenty years of age. That is, higher than for those diagnosed with T2 diabetes as adults, between the ages of twenty and fifty-five. In addition, the death rate for those first diagnosed under the age of twenty was - very scarily - double that for people diagnosed as adults.

To read more, check out this article in Forbes online.

High rates of obesity and diabetes amongst Americans may be the reason why people in the US experience a higher rate of kidney failure than Europeans. That's the word from a group of researchers who have studied the subject extensively, looking at the medical records of 65,000 Norwegians and compared them with those of 20,000 Americans.

The conclusion? Americans with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are two and a half times more likely to have their condition develop into end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and loss of kidney function. Serious? Yes, very. When your kidneys cease to function, you're looking at drastic measures: dialysis or a kidney transplant.

The interesting thing though is that the overall prevalence of CKD is about the same in the US as in Norway. So, researchers asked themselves, why is it that rates of ESRD are so much higher in the US? The difference, they say, is the aforementioned obesity and diabetes, both of which are major risk factors for kidney disease.

A new study has found that an astounding forty-three percent of diabetics over fifty-five years of age are not getting beneficial medications that could protect against heart and kidney damage, problems that affect diabetics disproportionately to the rest of the population. Even those people diagnosed with diabetes who are known to have existing heart or kidney problems often miss out. The study was carried out by researchers at the University of Michigan. Results were published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. The most interesting question is: why is this happening? Unfortunately, the study does not attempt to tackle that question, but Allison Rosen, one of the researchers, mentioned factors like cost, lack of doctor awareness and lack of patient education on the need for the meds and their effective use.