Nutrigenetics is the study of the interaction of genes and diet. The Diet Channel has published an article explaining what nutrigenetics is and how it will revolutionize the world of diabetes.

Researchers believe elevated blood sugar can be mapped back to a genetic reaction. Drugs are only overriding the cause of elevated blood sugar and forcing the sugar into the cells, causing damage over time. Nutrigenetics is addressing the cause of the elevated blood sugar and may suggest a better diet to control your diabetes. Genes control how you metabolize certain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. These genes can vary from one individual to the next. See what happens to Buddy the Elf when he consumes way too much coffee? Yes, I know - that's Hollywood. Nevertheless - a comical example of what nutrigenetics explores.

Consumer-friendly tests are available for these gene and diet interactions. The tests are done with a cheek swab. You send your swab off to a specialized lab, which analyzes DNA from the cheek cells. You receive a report identifying your gene variations. A qualified health professional can explain the test results, and make specific diet and supplement recommendations to optimize your health. If this is a test you're interested in taking, Sciona's Mycellf Program will be happy to prepare your profile. Open up and say Ahhhh.

Bev did a great job covering the study of obese mice having protection from elevated blood sugar due to a plethora of adiponectin. Adiponectin was shown to enhance insulin signaling which transported the excess glucose to less harmful areas of the body, rather than the cells which would endure diabetes complications. The results of this study created a condition called ratones mórbidamente obesos - which sounds better in Spanish because in English this means morbidly obese mice.

You know what they say about hindsight, right? A study from a year ago revealed some good news and some bad news. Good news first - turns out Type 2 diabetes drugs using troglitazone increased adiponectin. Rezulin was one of these drugs, but it was removed from the US market March 21, 2000. Now the bad news, the Type 2 diabetes drugs made with metformin were shown to reduce adiponectin. A few of the drugs that use metformin are Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, and Riomet.

So why must diabetics be led with imperfect vision? Because the bottom line is researchers and doctors believe they are saving lives every day. Yes, they do. But there is a lot to behold when you tinker with His design. Remember the movie Malice? These lines don't make it into movies for nothing. Producers know human nature and they stretch it to the extreme. Whether or not you want to admit it - you know a few people with a complex like Alec Baldwins. Alec Baldwin says, "You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God". Click for the entire 1:30 scene, courtesy of YouTube.

Kingman, Arizona, resident Joseph Zarate made it into his local newspaper recently. Zarate was in the US Marines for four and a half years back in the day. He now depends on the US Veterans Administration for his health care services. Right now he believes he's being shortchanged.

Zarate has type 2 diabetes. The VA gives him Metformin and testing strips to do blood sugar tests. However, he says he thinks it's a double standard that he only gets fifty testing strips per ninety day period. He says he needs 180 per month so that he can test himself three times daily. He says his VA doc told him he should be testing himself that often. That's why he's upset. In the meantime, he's been buying extra testing strips from a local pharmacy at his own expense. Meanwhile, a VA spokeswoman says it's VA policy: type 1 patients get 200 testing strips per ninety day period, while type 2s get only fifty per ninety day period.

Check out the mean comments from readers responding to this article. Some readers criticize the VA, others Zarate, and one guy even takes the time to criticize the journalist who did the story. Why all this anger, people? I'm mystified. In the end, it looks like a simple case of institutional ineptitude. Does Zarate, a type 2 diabetes, really need to test his blood sugar three times daily? Probably not. And if not, why did his doctor tell him to do that? Or maybe he misunderstood his doctor's instructions. In any case, the VA has a responsibility to communicate better with patients about what their medical needs are. This guy was obviously trying to take care of his health, but was having a hard time getting answers. I felt sorry for him.

In light of Novo's Meet the Face of Change campaign, I figured I'd address an idea worthy of mention coming out of the Novo product pipeline. This treatment is for Type 2 diabetics but it is not insulin - it's called liraglutide. Liraglutide is a once-daily human analog of the natural hormone Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1). It causes neither excessive hypoglycemia nor weight gain.

Liraglutide works by stimulating the release of insulin only when glucose levels become too high. Unlike many other diabetes drugs - liraglutide also leads to weight loss instead of weight gain. Now we're getting somewhere, Novo!! Patients with Type 2 diabetes treated with liraglutide had a greater reduction in average blood sugar than those patients treated with placebo or insulin glargine (Lantus). As expected, the combination of a GLP-1 analog with a sulfonylurea caused some of the patients to experience hypoglycemia. Okay, point taken. So why impose a glucose lowering drug while mitigating the problem causing elevated sugar in the first place? One drug at a time, folks.

So this is a step in the right direction and I like where it is going. Treating Type 2 diabetes with insulin is counter-intuitive. Looking at another hormone that might interfere with the use of insulin might be the culprit. So here lies a very good idea and I like it. Gold star, Novo! Now when can we meet the face of liraglutide?

British-based website Scientist Live reports on a possible link between cancer and the use of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a class of medications used to treat diabetes. The link comes from the Vermont Diabetes Information System, which enrolled just over one thousand participants in a study that relied on self-reported patient information and lab-verified data. The authors of the study assert that the link between TZD use and increased incidence of cancer is significant even after correcting data to allow for the influence of other factors such as smoking, body mass index, and other drugs being taken by the patients.

A little background: TZDs are prescribed because they lower blood sugar levels. They work by lowering insulin resistance, making the body better able to respond to insulin without actually causing an increase in insulin production. Brand name examples of TZDs include Actos, Avandia and Metformin. A type of TZD medication was banned in Europe after it was found to cause severe liver damage. According to the Wikipedia entry on TZDs, these substances are being investigated as potential treatments for a handful of other medical problems, but are currently used just for diabetes.

If there is indeed a link between TZD usage and increased cancer risk, we really need to find out ASAP. These drugs are prescribed to treat a chronic condition, so once you're on one you're likely to stay on it long-term. Who wants to be exposed to that on top of all the other possible side-effect risks? Stay tuned.

Avandia is out of the top headlines lately, but I am sure the controversial drug remains top-of-mind for type 2 diabetics carrying a prescription.

I fumbled upon Prescriber's Letter recently, an independent service providing information about meds to paid subscribers. They claim their research reports are unbiased, the website does not accept advertising (a plus) and overviews are written by editors advised by experts, government agencies and national organizations. The June edition of Prescriber's Letter offers a synopsis on Avandia. It might be worth a read.

In a nutshell, Prescriber's acknowledges Dr. Nissen's meta-analysis which points to higher heart attack risk for Avandia versus different meds or placebos. They also acknowledge experts are critical of Dr. Nissen's study as they are running the numbers and coming up with different conclusions. Keep in mind, Avandia and Actos are in the same class of drug -- they are both glitazones. They were also recently assigned the stricter black box warning of heart failure by the Federal Drug Administration. Prescriber's explains Avandia's only proven benefit is glycemic control, and does not provide long-term cardiovascular benefit. Clinicians are asking if Avandia's potential cardio risk is a class effect. Meaning, could Actos, a glitazone, also have the same problem? Many experts say Actos does not carry the same risk, citing a PROactive study that suggests the drug might reduce heart attack and stroke. But once again, PROactive is highly debated. Prescriber's reminds clinicians that edema is a side effect of glitazones, and should not be offered to moderate to severe heart failure patients.

Here is Prescriber's advice for type 2 diabetes. Most patients should receive metformin first, as it is well-tolerated and may have beneficial cardio effects. If a glitazone is started, choose Actos. If a patient is stable on Avandia, do not switch. They remind clinicians Dr. Nissen's meta-analysis does not prove heart attack risk for Avandia, and if there is a risk, it's extremely low. We'll all sit tight and wait for Glaxo's RECORD study, due in 2009, provided study participants have not jumped ship.

Avandia, a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes, has been in the news of late following the release of controversial study results which concluded the drug leaves patients at an increased risk for heart trouble. My fellow blogger Bev has touched on the conundrum now facing diabetics on Avandia regimens. You can quit taking Avandia, but then what? Thousands of Americans are now facing this predicament and many have opted to switch their prescriptions to something else. The Philadelphia Inquirer is running a feature about this and talks to some diabetics who have opted for the "try something else" route.

The Inquirer profiles, among others, pharmacist Ben Briggs, 59, who switched to Merck's Januvia in the wake of the Avandia scandal, but was sorely disappointed in the results. Instead of seeing an improvement in his blood sugar levels, his health actually declined rather rapidly: he gained eight pounds and said he was "feeling awful." He promptly ditched that drug too and is now on yet another medication. According to diabetes experts interviewed by The Inquirer, patients should "tread carefully" and avoid rushing to switch to drugs such as Januvia, which do not have the proven track records of the old standbys insulin and metformin.

Bottom line: this whole dust-up over Avandia is a nightmare for its producer, GlaxoSmithKline. However, its competitors Merck and Takeda Pharmaceutical could stand to make a bundle as diabetics switch in droves from Avandia to Januvia or Takeda's Actos. According to Deutsche Bank analyst Barbara Ryan, sales of Januvia alone could be up as much as $300 million annually as a result of Avandia's troubles, while Actos profits could rise even higher than that. You have to imagine Merck and Takeda must be nervously making hay while the sun shines, hoping they don't end up testifying to Congress some day in the future.

A Medco Health Solutions report found that spending on diabetes drugs could rise 70% by 2009, and was second only to cholesterol medications in 2006. Yet, myths about this condition abound. Life@work tells you what causes diabetes, and offers tips to help reduce the complications of the disease.

The following risk factors increase your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes: age, obesity, physical inactivity, and a high fat diet. Rarer causes of diabetes (including type 1 diabetes), include: certain medicines, as well as any illness that damages the pancreas and affects its ability to produce insulin. Eating sweets does not cause diabetes. However, it may cause obesity and this is associated with people developing Type 2 diabetes. Stress does not cause diabetes, although it may be a trigger for the body turning on itself as in the case of Type 1 diabetes. It does, however, make the symptoms worse for those who already have diabetes.

Diabetics can reduce heart disease by consuming ½ c. soy nuts. Half a cup of soy nuts (dry-roasted soybeans) every day, may work as well as anti-hypertension medication to lower blood pressure, a new study conducted on women at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston found. A technique used in yoga to reduce stress and lower blood pressure is the Bhramari or Humming Bee. To perform this pose: Sit comfortably, eyes shut. Inhale and exhale deeply a few times. Inhale. While exhaling, hum gently, making an "mmm" sound. Lips must remain shut. You can also insert index fingers into each ear to feel the sound vibrating at your facial sinuses. This is one round. Do up to nine rounds. This exercise is used to create a meditative mind-set, for healing or controlling various ailments, from diabetes to digestive disorders. Pause for a moment today and enjoy some soy nuts and a humming bee pose.

Nutraceutical refers to foods claimed to have a medicinal effect on human health. The American Diabetes Association says individuals at risk of developing diabetes can make changes in their diet and increse their level of physical activity to reduce their risk. The following mentions a few foods and supplements that are your friends in the fight against diabetes.

You've probably heard a million times the benefit of soluble fiber. It lends a big helping hand by slowing carbohydrate absorption. Easy sources of soluble fiber include: oat bran, nuts, barley, flax seed, fruits like oranges and apples, and vegetables like carrots. Another nutritional gem is coffee! Well, more specifically chlorogenic acid, the antioxidant found in coffee. It slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal. Caffeine counteracts this effect, so diabetics are better off drinking decaf. Barley malt has similar blood glucose lowering effects as metformin, without the side effects. Some say barley malt is to beer as grapes are to wine. Barley malt extract (available in powder and liquid forms) is also used medicinally as a bulking agent to promote bowel regularity.

Other honorable mentions include: magnesium, chromium piccolinate, conjugated linoleic acid, bitter melon and our beloved cinnamon. Nutraceuticals would likely have substantial diabetes-preventive efficacy, and presumably could be marketed legally as aids to good glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Last time I checked -drugs weren't cool, but according to a recent study, within the last 3 years, the number of teens using type 2 diabetes drugs has soared.

Medco, the largest US drug benefits manager, found the number of children taking medicine for type 2 diabetes more than doubled between 2001 and 2005. An analysis of prescription data found a 146% increase over four years in young people aged 10-19 taking type 2 diabetes drugs, and 115 % increase in all children in the survey. Children on diabetes medicines also faced other serious problems. About 17% of the boys and 13% of the girls were on drugs for high blood pressure; 5% of both were taking cholesterol-reducing drugs; and nearly 20% were taking narcotic pain relievers, drugs for respiratory conditions and antidepressants. Medco reviewed over 500,000 children each year. Of those aged 10-19, about 1.47 per 1,000 were taking type 2 diabetes drugs with a clear rising trend.

I'm so glad I'm not a teenager any more. These days it's not about abstaining from drugs. It's about the type of drugs you use. Just because your doctor is the one prescribing it doesn't mean you have to succumb to the peer pressure of drug use. I found an appropriate Chinese proverb for this blog: it is easy to get a thousand prescriptions but hard to get one single remedy. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

A new survey reveals that most people prefer to treat diabetes by changing their diets, rather than using medicines.

According to a survey of 1,022 adults (515 women and 507 men), 69% of Americans would prefer to try a dietary approach, whereas only 21% preferred treating diabetes with medicines. The survey reinforces results from clinical research on diabetes, which has consistently found that people with diabetes adapt well to low-fat vegetarian diets and gain important health benefits. A dietary approach to diabetes based on scientific research shows that a low-fat vegan diet can lower high blood sugar levels three times more effectively than oral medications.

Among the results: women are even more likely than men to prefer food changes over pills. People with more education and higher incomes were especially likely to favor a diet approach. For the financially savvy - this makes a lot of sense. You MUST buy food. You might as well buy healthier foods and curtail your Rx costs. Furthermore, Americans aged 45 to 64 were more enthusiastic about diet changes, compared with older Americans. I'll bet it's the convenience factor. A little less medication, a little more supper, please. The most pill-happy generation was the 18- to 24-year-olds. Don't look at me like that - I'm 28 and favor the flavor over medication, any day. Bon appetit!

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved Byetta as an add-on therapy to improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes who have not achieved adequate control on a thiazolidinedione, or TZD.

Byetta is already approved for treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes who are unsuccessful at controlling their blood sugar levels despite using the commonly prescribed oral medications or insulin. Byetta helps control blood glucose in four different ways. First, it signals your pancreas to make the right amount of insulin after you eat. It also stops your liver from making too much glucose when your body does not need it. It may reduce your appetite and the amount of food you eat. And it helps slow down how quickly food and glucose leave the stomach. It's no surprise that back in May, AMYLIN had to increase their production of Byetta, after realizing demand was outpacing the supply.

Byetta has given type 2 diabetics the reassurance they need to take their diabetes control to the next level. Taking your meds no longer has to come with the dubious consequence of a ravenous appetite. And with this new feather in the Byetta cap-the FDA says it does the trick to improve blood sugar control. The jury's out!

A new study has found evidence that a regimen of preventive medications is effective in reducing diabetes risk. But here's a little secret: you have to stick with the program long-term. Yes, one of the problems that health care providers face, apparently, is the fact that many people prescribed these meds don't continue to take them regularly.

The medication that is often prescribed to at-risk patients is metformin. The Diabetes Prevention Program carried out a large study (involving 2,155 subjects) that evaluated the effectiveness of lifestyle changes - in the form of healthy diet and increased exercise - compared with metformin prescriptions. The idea was simple: to show which tactic is most helpful in delaying or preventing the onset of Type 2 diabetes in patients identified as high-risk. Turns out metformin works quite well, actually. The patients taking it showed a 38.2 percent reduced risk for diabetes compared with others in the group who were put on a placebo. As mentioned above, though, a problem is getting people to take the drug routinely. The researchers say around twenty-two percent of patients reported forgetting to take their pills. Others blamed adverse effects and "disruption of routine."

The website YubaNet is running a report on a traditional Chinese medicine that some believe could treat Type 2 diabetes. The medicine is called berberine. It is derived from the roots and bark of various plants (including Goldenseal, pictured) and has traditionally been used in China to treat a number of health complaints, including diarrhea. Claims have also been made in the past that berberine lowers blood glucose. Well, it turns out there may be something to this claim: a research project conducted by researchers at Sydney's Garvan Institute, involving scientists from China, Korea and Australia, suggests berberine could be effective in this capacity. Lab experiments found that berberine activates an enzyme that is found in the muscle and liver. This enzyme is known to improve the body's sensitivity to insulin, thereby helping to lower blood sugar levels.

Why would anyone have a need for berberine? Well, I was interested to learn that many Type 2 diabetics cannot tolerate metformin, the drug often prescribed as a blood sugar lowering medicine. In addition, another common group of drugs, known as TZDs, can cause weight gain. Therefore, the hunt is very much on for alternative meds that lower blood sugar. Berberine may fit the bill because it's known to have few side effects.

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.