Bodybuilding with Diabetes

The symptoms of diabetes may begin slowly and hard to identify at first. They may include fatigue, frequent urination, excessive thirst, and a feeling of becoming sick. When there is extra glucose in the blood, one way the body gets rid of it is through frequent urination. This loss of fluids can cause excessive thirst. Diabetes can also cause other symptoms such as blurred vision, slow healing of skin, sudden weight loss, genital itching, and gum and urinary tract infections.

People who suffer from diabetes must take extra precautions when wanting to exercise. These people should not exercise outside on very hot or humid days due to the increased risk of heat stroke or exhaustion. If you are exercising in warm weather , dress in loose-fitted clothing or special fabrics that promote heat loss. To prevent dehydration, drink a cup of cold water before and after exercise. If your exercise session lasts longer that thirty minutes or if you sweat alot, drink water during your workout. Make sure that you know the warning signs of heart problems such as jaw, arm, and chest pain, dizziness, nausea, irregular pulse, and unusual shortness of breath during exercise. Exercise, along with good nutrition, helps decrease body fat, which helps normalize glucose metabolism. Exercise also helps lower coronary risk factors such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Without adequate insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream leading to increased hunger. In addition, the high levels of glucose in the blood causes the patient to urinate more, which also causes excessive thirst. Within five to ten years after diagnosis, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are completely destroyed and no more insulin can be produced. Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age, but it usually begins with people under the age of twenty-five. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and only accounts for around 5 percent of the new cases formed each year.

Previously known as noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. 90-95 % of people who have diabetes have type 2. People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but either do not make enough insulin or their bodies do not use the insulin it makes. Type 2 diabetes typically occurs after the age of forty years. A resistance to insulin develops, often accompanied by excess weight and leaving the pancreas unable to produce enought insulin to compensate.

Hypoglycemia is the clinical syndrome that results from low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person which can become severe enough to need treatment. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when the blood sugar returns to a normal range. While patients who do not have any metabolic problems can complain of symptoms suggestive of low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia usually occurs in patients being treated for type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Patients with pre-diabetes can also have low blood sugars on occasion if their high circulating insulin levels are further challenged by a prolonged period of fasting.

Living with diabetes is not fun, but by taking preventative care of yourself, you can do the things you want to do in life. Exercise and proper nutrition are very important to steps in recovery and you never know, maybe you didn`t have diabetes after all, you just needed a lesson in nutrition.

Mediterranean diet linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes

A Mediterranean diet mainly consists of high consumption of vegetables, fruits, beans, olive oil, whole grains and fish.

Previous research has strongly suggested that there are numerous health benefits from following a Mediterranean diet. Late last year, a study suggesting that middle-aged women may have a longer lifespan and better health if they follow the diet, while another study suggests the diet may reduce genetic stroke risk.

According to the study investigators from Spain, research has shown that weight-loss interventions, such as a low-calorie diet, are effective for the prevention of diabetes.

But they note there is limited information as to whether changes in diet that do not lead to weight loss, or involve reduction in calories or increased exercise, have the same effect.

To find out, the researchers analyzed 3,541 men and women without diabetes aged 55-80-years-old who were at high risk for heart disease - a condition known to be a risk factor associated with type 2 diabetes.

All participants were randomly assigned to one of three diets. The first was a Mediterranean diet in which subjects were required to consume 50ml of extra-virgin olive oil each day. Some participants followed a Mediterranean diet alongside 30g of mixed nuts each day, while the remaining subjects followed a low-fat diet. During a 4-year follow-up period, the participants following the Mediterranean diet were given guidance by dietitians. They were instructed to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, beans, and fish, and to avoid red or processed meat, butter and candies.

The investigators note that none of the subjects were told to reduce their calorie intake or increase their physical activity.

At the end of the follow-up period, the researchers found that 273 participants had developed diabetes. Of these, 101 were from the low-fat diet group, while 80 were from the Mediterranean diet group with additional extra-virgin olive oil, and 92 were from the Mediterranean diet group with extra nuts.

Brain may play crucial role in development of type 2 diabetes

New research has found that the brain may play an essential role in glucose regulation and the development of type 2 diabetes.

In a study, researchers suggested that glucose regulation is controlled by coordinated interactions between both the brain and insulin-producing tissues in the pancreas – a theory that could eventually pave the way for new treatments for the disease.

Based on a review of both human and animal studies, the researchers speculated that while the pancreas reacts to increased levels of blood glucose by releasing more insulin, the brain is also heavily involved in helping the body maintain normal glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes occurs when both of these systems fail.

Currently, treatments for type 2 diabetes rely almost exclusively on methods that attempt to either increase insulin or regulate the body’s sensitivity to insulin. However, if the researchers are correct in their hypothesis that failures in the brain are crucial to the development of type 2 diabetes, it could lead to new, more effective methods by which to treat – or even reverse – the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that 50 percent of the population will have developed diabetes by 2050.

New Drug May Someday Battle Obesity and Diabetes

A new diabetes drug may one day perform double duty for patients, controlling both their blood sugar levels and helping them lose weight, researchers report. In mouse trials, doctors found the drug prompted weight loss, in addition to managing blood sugar levels.

"That [weight loss] is not what this drug was designed to do, but it's a very attractive additional benefit," said study co-author Richard DiMarchi, a research chemist at Indiana University in whose lab the drug was created. The injectable medication is based on a single molecule that combines the properties of two hormones that send chemical signals to the pancreas, said DiMarchi. "They signal to the pancreas that you are taking a meal," DiMarchi said. "The pancreas then responds by secreting insulin and to synthesize additional amounts of insulin for subsequent use."

People with type 2 diabetes have lower levels of these pancreas-signaling hormones, which are known as incretins, explained Dr. John Anderson, president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. "The incretin defect in type 2 diabetes is well known, and it's only within the last few years we have had agents to treat it," Anderson said.

Human and primate trials revealed that the new drug controls blood sugar with fewer side effects than other diabetes medications. Those side effects can include nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. "In this study, the degree of gastrointestinal discomfort is much more modest than is experienced in conventional drugs," DiMarchi said. "We get beneficial glycemic control with this combination drug, and it seems to be with less adverse drug effect."

The medication combines the action of the hormones GLP-1 and GIP. Current diabetes medications of this sort target GLP-1 receptors in the body; studies involving GIP have produced mixed results. GLP is known to suppress appetite, and DiMarchi said the weight loss observed in mice might be occurring because the second hormone, GIP, is somehow "turbo-charging" that appetite suppression.

In the mouse trials, a drug based on GLP-1 alone decreased body weight by an average 15 %. But the new drug combining GLP-1 and GIP decreased body weight by nearly 21 % as well as controlling blood glucose and decreasing appetite.

A six-week human trial involving 53 patients with type 2 diabetes found that the medication effectively controlled their blood sugar levels. However, the researchers did not note any change in weight during the relatively short study period. The higher potency of the combined molecule suggests it could be administered at lower doses than other incretin-based medications, reducing side effects and making the drug easier to take.

"Currently approved drugs are quite effective," DiMarchi said, "but they are insufficient in normalizing glucose, and they certainly don't cause much loss of body weight."