Scientists show both types of diabetes are caused by same underlying mechanism

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/article/?id=12649

As well as producing insulin, cells in the pancreas also produce another hormone called amylin. Insulin and amylin normally work together to regulate the body’s response to food intake. If they are no longer produced, then levels of sugar in the blood rise resulting in diabetes and causing damage to organs such as the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves if blood sugar levels aren’t properly controlled.


However, some of the amylin that is produced can get deposited around cells in the pancreas as toxic clumps, which then, in turn, destroy those cells that produce insulin and amylin. The consequence of this cell death is diabetes.


Research published previously by Professor Cooper suggested that this is the causative mechanism in type-2 diabetes. This new research provides strong evidence that type-1 diabetes results from the same mechanism.

Interesting post Yoly, thanks. I guess this may change the direction and focus of a lot of future research.

Thanks for posting this.

That same conclusion was also reached in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19855953

"Human beta cells, unlike those of young rodents, are long-lived. LB proportions in type 2 diabetes and obesity suggest that little adaptive change occurs in the adult human beta cell population, which is largely established by age 20 years"

I find this a little discouraging, but it is still good to know. My takeaway is that our best strategy is to just keep protecting the beta cells that we still have by keeping our BG in non diabetic ranges because it has been shown that diabetic levels of glucose induces apoptosis in beta cells.

George Henderson who is one of my favourite bloggers has written a blogpost about this study:
http://hopefulgeranium.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/amylin-root-cause-of-diabetes.html

George posted a link on another way of how metformin can help diabetics it reduces amylin excess.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10337452

Abstract

The purpose of the study was the comparison of the effect of the oral therapy of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with either a sulphonylurea or biguanide derivative on plasma amylin level. In 10 healthy individuals the fasting plasma amylin level was 1.56 +/- 0.27 pmol/l (mean +/- SEM) and 6 min after i.v. injection of 1 mg glucagon a fourfold increase was observed. In 10 patients with NIDDM receiving glibenclamide (CAS 10238-21- the fasting plasma amylin level was twofold higher than in healthy control (2.72 +/- 0.38 pmol/l; p < 0.025) but following glucagon administration it increased only twofold. In 15 patients treated with metformin (CAS 657-24-9) the fasting plasma amylin level was similar to that in healthy individuals (1.64 +/- 0.25 pmol/l), but after glucagon stimulation the increment of plasma amylin was minimal and the relevant mean value was significantly lower when compared with those in healthy individuals and with NIDDM patients treated with glibenclamide. In 10 untreated obese patients with newly diagnosed NIDDM the administration of glibenclamide (14 days) resulted in the increase of basal (2.47 +/- 0.23 and 3.16 +/- 0.29 pmol/l; p < 0.1), and glucagon stimulated (3.34 +/- 0.39 and 4.56 +/- 0.38; p < 0.05) plasma amylin concentrations, whereas other 10 patients receiving metformin showed a decrease in fasting plasma level of this peptide before (2.64 +/- 0.59 and 1.28 +/- 0.38 pmol/l; p < 0.1), and after glucagon injection (5.02 +/- 0.55 and 2.83 +/- 0.65 pmol/l; p < 0.02). With the respect to the trophic effect of amyloid deposits in the pancreatic islets and to a hypothetic effect of amylin increasing insulin resistance, the present results emphasize the particular usefulness of metformin in the pharmacological treatment of NIDDM. All contraindications and side effects of metformin should be taken into account before drug administration.

Is that the reason why Metformin can help with insulin sensitivity ?

I have always felt that type 2 diabetes is just a much slower progression into diabetes than 1. Something happens very rapidly in the type 1 diabetic.

What I have found in my healing journey is it's very much like peeling an onion. Every time you think you've got to the centre, you discover another layer....

It is interesting though how some with type 2 have been able to halt or even reverse the decline, and there are other like Victoria Boutenko who halted and reversed her 10 year old son's decline into type 1, both using diet, so there has to be a link there somewhere.

Nothing happens for no reason. If diabetes, whatever the type, has to do with the balance between Amylin and Insulin production, something has to be deranging it.

Carbohydrates and sugars often get the blame, and yes some can be poor food choices, but there are people out there who have consumed carbs and sugar all their lives yet have never become diabetic.

What is the real centre of the onion?

Me? I'm putting my money on parasites....

AliB wrote:I have always felt that type 2 diabetes is just a much slower progression into diabetes than 1.  Something happens very rapidly in the type 1 diabetic.

What I have found in my healing journey is it's very much like peeling an onion.  Every time you think you've got to the centre, you discover another layer....

It is interesting though how some with type 2 have been able to halt or even reverse the decline, and there are other like Victoria Boutenko who halted and reversed her 10 year old son's decline into type 1, both using diet, so there has to be a link there somewhere.

Nothing happens for no reason.  If diabetes, whatever the type, has to do with the balance between Amylin and Insulin production, something has to be deranging it.

Carbohydrates and sugars often get the blame, and yes some can be poor food choices, but there are people out there who have consumed carbs and sugar all their lives yet have never become diabetic.

What is the real centre of the onion?

Me?  I'm putting my money on parasites....

My bet is still on 'western diet' because as it was noted back in the last century when the western diet consisting of grains and sugars was introduced to native people within a decade they started having metabolic diseases like diabetes. They called it the diseases of civilization.

I think I am also of the opinion that diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions in line with Western highly processed mass food production. There may be a link with parasites but I just think this would have been discovered by now. This is only an opinion and certainly not scientifically based. Hopefully one day we'll know for sure.

The crazy thing is that for all our supposed knowledge and 'understanding', we STILL don't know what's behind it all.

Yes, certainly there are many factors in the Western diet that could be contributory, but so could pollution, mercury fillings, nutritional deficiencies, parasites.....even the lack of enough bacterial exposure, or maybe even a combination of them all.

As one doctor pointed out during a lecture I watched the other day, just when they think they know it all, something else comes along to blow it out of the water.

There is only one being that really knows the truth of it all, and it sure ain't humankind....

I agree Ali, it's probably a combination of nutrition,environment and microbes which will probably never be fully understood in my lifetime !

As a non diabetic but someone who is concerned with the rise in Type 2 diabetes, obesity and all it's related problems. We can't dismiss the fact that modern times are so different. The food we eat, the soil it's grown in is completely different to how it was decades ago, let alone longer. We do not always look after our environment ...and that's putting it mildly!

The sad fact is Type 2 diabetes is on the increase and many are probably un-aware they are pre-diabetic. Sugars, starches,grains do not do our health that many favours. In fact do they do our bodies any favours?

All the best Jan

OldTech wrote:

AliB wrote:I have always felt that type 2 diabetes is just a much slower progression into diabetes than 1.  Something happens very rapidly in the type 1 diabetic.

What I have found in my healing journey is it's very much like peeling an onion.  Every time you think you've got to the centre, you discover another layer....

It is interesting though how some with type 2 have been able to halt or even reverse the decline, and there are other like Victoria Boutenko who halted and reversed her 10 year old son's decline into type 1, both using diet, so there has to be a link there somewhere.

Nothing happens for no reason.  If diabetes, whatever the type, has to do with the balance between Amylin and Insulin production, something has to be deranging it.

Carbohydrates and sugars often get the blame, and yes some can be poor food choices, but there are people out there who have consumed carbs and sugar all their lives yet have never become diabetic.

What is the real centre of the onion?

Me?  I'm putting my money on parasites....

My bet is still on 'western diet' because as it was noted back in the last century when the western diet consisting of grains and sugars was introduced to native people within a decade they started having metabolic diseases like diabetes. They called it the diseases of civilization.

Reading back on various comments I've highlighted these......

I'm no expert, these are just my thoughts - but in modern times Type 2 diabetes, obesity and all its related health problems have grown, by appalling numbers. How most HCP's are advising and treating their patients must be questioned.......because the epidemic is 'out of control'. Many people are probably un-aware they are pre-diabetic and in time they to will contribute to the ever increasing number of Type 2 diabetics.

Of course not all Diabetics are obese but something triggered their diabetes. Research is still on going, and will be for sometime.......But we know eating too many sugars/ starches does not help Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetics , it raises blood sugar numbers.

This disease of civilization as 'Old Tech' refers to cannot be ignored. Eddie calls it 'The White Man Factor' because these people were doing perfectly well since the beginning of time until they took up the white man's diet.

That said perhaps there are other factors yet to be found and understood.

What are your thoughts on this ?

All the best Jan

My thoughts on this are simple really. I believe there are diseases/conditions that develop through no cause of our own. Throughout history, these things have evolved to control numbers/population etc. Diabetes is certainly something that has gathered strength in the last 25 years or so and this fact cannot be ignored. Who actually cooks any more ? What happened to fresh food ? If you go to a supermarket and buy some milk or bread with a 7 day shelf life, something is wrong. they are packed with additives and chemicals. These foods are designed to have a short shelf life. They are just a few examples. I also have another theory that is a little controversial.

mo1905 wrote:My thoughts on this are simple really. I believe there are diseases/conditions that develop through no cause of our own. Throughout history, these things have evolved to control numbers/population etc. Diabetes is certainly something that has gathered strength in the last 25 years or so and this fact cannot be ignored. Who actually cooks any more ? What happened to fresh food ? If you go to a supermarket and buy some milk or bread with a 7 day shelf life, something is wrong. they are packed with additives and chemicals. These foods are designed to have a short shelf life. They are just a few examples. I also have another theory that is a little controversial.

When you add in epigenetics your proposed story gets a little more complicated. The short form is that it how your grandmother lived, including what she ate, what diseases she had, and what she was exposed to before the birth of your mother that defined your genes and partly defined gene expression from your mothers side. In turn what your mother ate and was exposed to also helped to influence your gene expression.

In other words the egg that you came from was formed while your mother was still in your grandmother. The key to epigenetics is not just genes but the expressions of genes which is controlled by how you and your ancestors lived including diet ... It does not take evolution (modification of genes) to adapt or change. Gene expression plays a significant role without gene change.

So it is not just what the environment in which you live that matters, but also that of your grandmother and your mother. And of course this chain goes back to all the generations you came from.

This to me is an alternate viable hypothesis of the current epidemic.

Yep, I don't ignore my genes, that is also a huge contributing factor. This, combined with environment/lifestyle, deals me my hand.

Also remember that it was only in the 1900's that white refined carbohydrates became common place. While western people were somewhat adapted to carbohydrates at that time, most native peoples were not nearly as adapted. Thus they got the diseases of civilization rapidly. It just took longer and more carbs for those of us who were somewhat adapted to get the same diseases of civilization.

Much of our problems are concerned with recent events. Let's not assume however that disease never existed prior to the 1900's though, they were just different. I'm sure diabetes existed 100's of years ago but there was obviously a reason why the numbers were small in comparison to today. My bet is still diet but no evidence to support this.

Yes, diabetes has been around a long time. The name comes from the Greeks. Egyptians also had it and I suspect that a lot of the early farmers had it. However, it is only in our time that we know it is epidemic.

OldTech wrote:Yes, diabetes has been around a long time. The name comes from the Greeks. Egyptians also had it and I suspect that a lot of the early farmers had it. However, it is only in our time that we know it is epidemic.

I'm perhaps not the best to comment here, not being a diabetic ...... but I'm going to  

Diabetes has been around a long time and it is only in recent years with the discovery of insulin, in 1921, I believe - that Type 1 Diabetics were offered a new lease of life.......

When young I was aware that people spoke of 'sugar diabetes' or 'old age diabetes' that is how it was described. This was of course Type 2 diabetes that people were referring to. From memory it was related more to the older generation, and it is only in recent years that more and more we hear of younger people in their 40's, 30's or younger being diagnosed. What has gone wrong?

I know on other post/topics AliB has raised interesting points about parasites and their relation to diabetes, and she may be right, it certainly gives a different view and opens up further questions.

However, our diet, our food, how it is prepared, how it is grown, how added sugars are often 'hidden' in foods must surely be an important dimension in this epidemic?

We surely have an obligation to those perhaps younger than us and who may be blissfully un-aware of the importance of what we take into our bodies.......the reaction of our bodies......and how just maybe THEY could have a much better influence on living healthier lives.

Just a thought - what are yours ?

All the best Jan

I know that I did not know much about diet especially when I was put on my low fat heart healthy diet. I did not really comprehend that carbohydrates got quickly converted to glucose in our bodies. I sort of knew that sugar especially added sugar was bad. What we were told was to purchase foods with the heart healthy label and foods marked low fat. So I was eating low fat yogurt 'ice' cream and I thought that it was OK. I even told my heart consultant that I was eating it. She smiled approvingly. It was low fat after all.

So overall I blame our public health education system for this. What we are told is wrong and criminal. The advice is just bad. And now I have T2DM.

I want to work to change this, but I am not that optimistic.

OldTech wrote:I know that I did not know much about diet especially when I was put on my low fat heart healthy diet. I did not really comprehend that carbohydrates got quickly converted to glucose in our bodies. I sort of knew that sugar especially added sugar was bad. What we were told was to purchase foods with the heart healthy label and foods marked low fat. So I was eating low fat yogurt 'ice' cream and I thought that it was OK. I even told my heart consultant that I was eating it. She smiled approvingly. It was low fat after all.

So overall I blame our public health education system for this. What we are told is wrong and criminal. The advice is just bad. And now I have T2DM.

I want to work to change this, but I am not that optimistic.

Well, from your initial poor advice, your recent numbers on your profile page suggest you've made some amazing progress !