The University of California, San Diego have discovered ‘the root cause of type-2 diabetes’ according to Dr. Jerrold M. Olefsky (Nature Medicine, Feb 23rd , 2015).
His UC San Diego team of researchers showed that major insulin target tissues – like the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue – produce Leukotriene B4, or LTB4, when obese mice are fed high fat diets.
LTB4 is an eicosanoid. Originally discovered by Nobel prizewinner Professor John Vane prior to 1982, eicosanoids are localised hormones produced in cells’ nuclear membranes and are highly inflammatory. Prostaglandins are linked to arthritis, for example.
LTB4 is produced by leukocytes which have been turned on by inflammatory ‘messages’ and it causes macrophage mediated inflammation. The net effect is that the leukocytes bind to tissues and this causes a significant formation of free-radicals in that area of the body.
This causes Insulin Resistance. While diabetes affects about 6 per cent of the UK population and has doubled in the last 20 years, estimates are that as many as 70 per cent of the population could have Insulin Resistance.
There are two options – turn off LTB4, or block its action on the receptors.
Diabetes is a $300 billion industry. Insulin sensitivity could lead to a market ten times greater. But what the San Diego researchers have shown is the link between obesity and diabetes. Indeed, it could simply be the link between all inflammatory mechanisms and diabetes – lack of sleep, exercise, poor blood sugar control and so on.
And the underlying reason why diabetics have higher rates of heart disease, cancer, arthritis and high cholesterol. The whole thing is about inflammation.
According to Olefsky, extra fat in the liver activates the macrophages living there. They then release LTB4 which signals to more macrophages that they need help and more arrive on the scene. They then also become activated and the body goes into a downward spiral.
But this effect is not confined. The message gets out to fat and muscle cells and they are activated by LTB4. So in obesity, these cells all become inflamed. Net result Insulin Resistance.
The secret thus seems to be: Don’t have a fatty liver. And reduce free-radicals.
Free-radicals can be reduced by a high antioxidant diet – the Rainbow Diet would be an excellent example.
Chris Woollams, former Oxford University Biochemist said,”de-fatting your liver and reducing your obesity would be an important step. We have already covered the work of UK Professors Roy Taylor and Mike Lean who are using a juice diet of limited calories to reverse diabetes. You should take a look. Especially if you don’t yet have diabetes but may be one of the 70 per cent of the population with a fatty liver and insulin resistance”.
GO TO: Diabetes is being reversed
