New biomarkers could result in better prevention and treatment for type 2 diabetes

Researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition (DlfE) and the Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) have discovered 14 new biomarkers for type 2 diabetes that could lead to new treatments and earlier diagnoses.

Published in Diabetes, the journal of the American Diabetes Association, the researchers' study used data from over 27,500 participants and included 4,000 blood samples from individuals with no diabetic history. Most samples came from an EPIC-Potsdam study, with about one quarter coming from a KORA study in Augsburg and a study in Tuebingen.

Authors Anna Floegel, PhD of DlfE and Tobias Pischon, MD of MDC say that the aim of their research was to discover metabolites in blood that could provide a deeper understanding of how type 2 diabetes develops and help identify possible prevention methods.

Study findings
During the seven-year follow-up, 800 participants from the Potsdam study and 91 from the Augsburg study developed type 2 diabetes. The research found an average of 163 metabolites per blood sample with 14 strongly associated with diabetes development. Against previous knowledge, phospholipids were also found to play a role, although not yet fully understood.

The metabolites include sugars, amino acids and choline-containing phospholipids, which according to Floegel are used during cell membrane construction and blood lipid transport, meaning they are important to all the body's central processes. The study concluded that alterations in any of these metabolites can have an effect on type 2 diabetes development, although the jury is still out as to what sorts of alterations might be made to reduce risk.

Additional discoveries
Inflammatory markers are also important in early diagnosis and prevention of type 2 diabetes, according to further research by Pischon published this September in the journal Obesity. The study concluded that regular physical activity lowers the plasma levels of four key biomarkers for diabetes, reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity. Risk of chronic diseases was also lower for individuals who exercised regularly.

Patients seeking cost-effective treatments for type 2 diabetes can, in addition to making healthy lifestyle choices, buy Actos or other medications from Canadian online pharmacies. A number of studies in recent years have also clearly showed that healthy diet is an important factor in lowering diabetes incidence.