Ever wonder what would happen to a non-diabetic's blood sugar if they loaded up on a pile of concentrated sugar, preservatives and weird science fats? Doctors and the ADA call it prediabetes. This clip takes it to the extreme by sandwiching the center of 16 double stuff Oreos! Sometimes you have to be insanely blunt to make your point.

This is a brilliant example of the diabetes epidemic in action. In today's world -- many people are eating for convenience without realizing the consequences. More convenient equates to less nutritious - more preservatives, more sugar and even more fattening (the wrong fats, too!) The combination increases the amount of time our digestive enzymes need to work on these lab-derived ingredients. This sustains an elevated blood sugar following the time of consumption. Add the ADA definition of pre-diabetes (a blood sugar between 140 to 199 mg/dl 2 hours after a meal) and there you have it -- a potential player on Team Diabetes!

Think what would happen if this guy was in his doctor's office 2 hours after this stunt. I'd like to thank his employer for keeping him busy (whatever he's paid to do) well after the lunch hour - and protecting him from becoming another statistic. Big ups to HR for hiring this guy!! If he's not in marketing already -- you might consider a transfer and give this guy a raise. He's my Oreo hero.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo recently found that a blood component once used to test for early-stage kidney problems may also help detect risk for the development of pre-diabetes.

Reporting in the July 2007 issue of Diabetic Care, the University of Buffalo researchers reported that elevated levels of cystatin C were linked to a much greater risk of progression to pre-diabetes. Currently, there are over 54 million Americans who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, which, if not addressed through proper diet and exercise, oftentimes results in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Lead researcher on the study, Richard P. Donahue, Ph.d., stated that "If further studied support our finding, testing for cystain C could become an important part of a standard physical examination. Preventative measures could be in place before glucose intolerance has a chance to develop and take its toll."

Tick-tock, tick-tock. That's the sound of the so-called diabetes clock, and it apparently moves just a bit faster for women than it does for men.

Epidemiologists at the University of Buffalo have discovered that newly identified risk factors found in blood -- such as chronic sub-acute inflammation and evidence of endothelial dysfunction -- are present in women who eventually go from having normal blood sugar levels to pre-diabetic conditions. These markers, the researchers state, are generally not associated with that progression from normal to pre-diabetic status for men.

The U. Buffalo study is one of the first to show that otherwise healthy women are more likely than men to show elevated levels of endothelial factors and other indications of a progression towards pre-diabetes. It involved 1,455 healthy participants originally enrolled in a case-control investigation of patterns of alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease. Using this data, the researchers uncovered the pre-diabetes markers in women.

Diabetes is responsible for over three million deaths worldwide every year and is likely to affect about six percent of the global population by 2025. The warning came ahead of the 19th World Diabetes Congress to be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

There are currently 240 million people with diabetes worldwide. By 2025, 80 percent of people with the disease will live in developing countries. The conference, organized by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), has the potential to influence health authorities to make the fight against diabetes a higher priority. Raising awareness of the seriousness of diabetes is fundamental because of the considerable burden that diabetes exerts on often limited health resources. Rapid cultural and social changes are resulting in an increase in the numbers of people with and at risk of type 2 diabetes. Examples of these changes are growing urbanization and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles.

Type 2 diabetes now accounts for approximately 85 percent to 95 percent of all diabetes cases in developing countries. The cases of pre-diabetes are more than twice that of diabetes in the African Region. Diabetes will be the pandemic of this century. The United Nations resolution launched a campaign on diabetes calling on individual countries to adopt national diabetes programs. The event will attract more than 10,000 medical experts, enlighten them with discussions of the latest scientific advances in the field, and offer practical information on diabetes care, advocacy and awareness.

Generex's flagship product, Oral-lyn^TM, is an oral insulin spray for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Their technology permits the delivery of insulin through the oral cavity (with no deposit in the lungs). Whatever you do, don't call it an inhaler.

Oral-lyn^TM is a liquid form of human insulin that is absorbed through the buccal mucosa. Say that three times, fast. It is delivered through the RapidMist^TM device, which looks a lot like an inhaler. But because this device limits absorption to the mouth, there is no entry into the lungs. The rich vascularity of the buccal mucosa allows for much faster absorption of insulin and a shorter total duration of activity which makes Oral-lyn^TM an ideal mealtime insulin, as it can be conveniently administered immediately prior to meals with little prospect of hypoglycemia. Oral-lyn^TM can be used as a preventative agent by people with pre-diabetes to delay the onset of diabetes and by patients with type-2 diabetes to delay the onset of insulin dependence and the complications associated with diabetes.

Generex Oral-lyn^TM is expected to lead to an enormous improvement in the quality of life, with the elimination of pain and a significant increase in convenience. This will result in improved compliance with a relative decrease in complications and a significant reduction in the costs associated with treating them. Knowing now that you can non-invasively continuously monitor your blood sugars, patch on your basal rate, and puff (but not inhale) for your meals - I'm going to do my share of screaming from the hilltops to get these devices the attention they warrant.

Dear Mister FDA, please don't give any of these potential pipeline treatments any shenanigans. They deserve a bedtime story and a kiss on the forehead for the promise they bring to us in the cold, weary world of diabetes. Oh yeah-- and please put a little hustle in it! Yours truly, Allie B

Altea Therapeutics is working on the next generation of insulin delivery in the form of an insulin patch. Altea is developing, both 12 and 24-hour, patches to provide controlled, continuous delivery of basal insulin in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This will allow uninterrupted, measured delivery of insulin through the skin, by way of an adhesive sticker no larger than a few centimeters. For those already diagnosed with diabetes, this could be the band aid to quell their fear of needles, as well as effectively sticking to an insulin regimen. For those in limbo, diagnosed as pre-diabetes, this may be the answer your body needs to supplement your insulin reserves.

The PassPort^TM System is comprised of a single-use disposable PassPort^TM Patch and a re-useable handheld applicator. The patch is made of a metallic grid containing powder insulin. The handheld applicator releases a single pulse of electrical energy that converts into thermal energy, painlessly fastening the grid to the skin surface. The electronic pulse also creates porous channels to deliver the insulin through the skin. No injections, application in milliseconds, and continuous basal delivery of insulin throughout the day.

This breakthrough technology is about freedom, convenience and ultimately better control. The PassPort^TM System replaces injections thereby enhancing compliance in patients. This directly correlates to better diabetes control. Upon FDA approval, I can only hope this dandy contraption is warmly welcomed into your doctor's office. As every doctor continues searching for the Holy Grail of patient compliance, tell him to check this out. Talk about patching things up!

A brilliant new technique for detecting diabetes has been discovered.The technique involves the use of fluorescent light. Researchers say fluorescent light can detect the presence of Type 2 diabetes by picking up abnormal concentrations of diabetes-related markers.

The good news is that this test outperforms, and therefore could potentially replace, the fasting plasma glucose test in screening for pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. The bad news is I'm confused as to exactly how this works. The article I read had me scratching my head and saying "huh?" But I will report back if/when I find out more!

The new test was announced at the American Diabetes Association's annual meeting, now underway in Washington.