The ADA 67th Scientific Sessions in Chicago started today and there has been a noisy buzz on everything diabetes. However, what got my interest more is the research development on oral insulin. The Type 1 diabetics are dependent on insulin. While the type 2 diabetics do not, still at a later stage, they will insulin as well. At the moment, insulin is only available by injection. Of course there are ongoing trials and investigation on oral insulin, but as far as I know, there is nothing approved in the market yet, and everything is still investigational. Here are a few recent lead stories I got on oral insulin:

‘Insulin pill” hope for diabetes – a UK company, Diabetology and Cardiff University experts may have solved the previous setback on oral insulin with their capsules’ special coating that protects the drug from acids in the stomach, which will allow it to pass into the small intestine where it is absorbed.

Capsules against diabetes – Biotechnologists at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have developed a new type of alginate capsule -called TAM (the Trondheim Alginate Microcapsule) – that could solve the problem of the body’s immune system recognizing and attacking alien, implanted insulin cells. The say that the gel capsule is designed with a view to camouflage the insulin-producing cells to the body’s immune system.

Also, since the type 2 diabetes is characterized by being insensitive to insulin leading to high sugar levels, a leading a team of researchers from Ohio University, Athens (led by John Kopchick) to believe that the condition can alter the abundance of various skin proteins, which thereby makes the skin a possible alternative in diagnosing type 2 diabetes. Kopchick and his colleagues decided to see whether they could detect protein changes in the skin of mice that are specially bred to gain weight and develop diabetes when fed fatty food. The results, although may potentially diagnose diabetes through the skin, are still being studied further whether the changes in skin protein biomarkers are due to diabetes alone and not obesity – since obesity is usually a precursor of type 2 diabetes.

However, if the study proved to be successful in human, we are looking at a future of a dermal diagnostic tool that will detect type 2 diabetes even before the symptoms appear. This method can also have possible applications in other serious diseases.

The author writes about snack for diabetics and blogs at http://www.daily-diabetic.com/.

What is PCOS? It seems to be in the news and on TV programs these days, but it is difficult to understand what it is, and what causes it. PCOS stands for “Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome,” which is, at basis, a condition in which women produce many follicles on their ovaries each month, but generally do not produce a mature egg.

These follicles emit hormones, and wreak havoc on a woman’s hormonal system. Since the follicles emit testosterone, they can cause a woman to grow facial hair. They also secrete insulin, which results in long-term insulin resistance, and can eventually result in full-blown Type II diabetes, which must be treated for the rest of a woman’s life.

PCOS often is the cause for infertility. Many of us know that fertility requires a careful balance of female hormones in order to produce an egg on a regular basis. Since the woman suffering from PCOS has a deficit in estrogen and progesterone – the two primary female hormones associated with fertility and female qualities – she is often unable to produce an egg for fertilization.

What causes PCOS? It’s been called a “syndrome” because the cause is unknown. Although we know that the follicles are overactive and unproductive, we don’t know what causes this activity to take place.

We know that, in a normally functioning reproductive system, a woman’s ovaries contain all the eggs she will have for her lifetime. These eggs are expressed from puberty to menopause, typically one per month. The mechanism of expression is the follicle, which both grows at the surface of the ovary and issues signaling hormones to let the rest of the body know when an egg is coming.

In a malfunctioning system, more than one follicle develops at a time. The excess of hormones may trigger a ‘defensive’ mechanism in the follicles which prevents their full expression, and thus inhibits overall production of an egg ready for fertilization.

The symptoms of PCOS can be confusing, as they are so diverse. The first indication is a weight gain, despite exercise and proper diet control. Insulin resistance occurs because of a spike in insulin production over a long period of time; the cells of the body receive an oversupply of insulin for so long that they develop an overall resistance, which results in insulin losing its effect to control serum glucose levels and results in a diabetes which needs to be controlled through diet, and sometimes through insulin injections.

Other symptoms can include acne (as a part of the hormonal storm), hair growth, and extremely irregular periods. A woman with PCOS can go for several months with no period, and then suddenly have extremely heavy bleeding for a longer-than-usual period of time.

Depression is a common symptom, which may be related to hormone-caused mood swings, or to other underlying causes of the disease. Of course, women who suffer these other symptoms, including infertility, would have reason to feel depressed.

Until recently, few physicians were trained to recognize PCOS. There are now a good deal more articles in the scientific literature on how both to recognize and treat the syndrome.

Scott Meyers is a staff writer for Its Entirely Natural, a resource for helping you achieve a naturally healthy body, mind, and spirit. You may contact our writers through the web site. Follow this link for more information on PCOS Insulin Resistance.

In the United States alone there is an estimated 17 million people that suffer from diabetes. Of those 17 million who suffer this disease nearly 5.9 million have not been medically diagnosed. The reason for this could well be that many of the early warning signs of diabetes are shrugged off by those who suffer them because the symptoms do not seem that severe.

Even when those who heed the early symptoms of diabetes do go to the doctor they often express disbelief that they are diagnosed as being diabetic. In the early stages of diabetes the symptoms can be more of a minor annoyance, leading those who are diagnosed saying things like “I don’t feel sick”. In fact many people are diagnosed with diabetes when they visit the doctor because they think they have something else wrong with them. Many of the early signs of diabetes are often attributed to some other ailment or condition.

The sooner the symptoms of diabetes are recognized and diagnosed the better the chances of a managing this condition and avoiding many of the serious and sometimes life threatening complications this disease can bring. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death by disease in the United States today.

The American Diabetes Association has a list of the early warning signs of diabetes and they include:

1. Increased Urination – This is caused by high blood sugar levels which increase the amount of blood that flows through the kidneys.

2. Excessive Thirst – The increased output of urine can lead to dehydration.

3. Extreme Hunger – Because diabetes is characterized by a lack of insulin or insulin resistance glucose is unable to cross over from the blood stream into the cells where it is needed for energy production. The body thinks it’s hungry because of the energy deficit and manifests hunger pangs.

4. Unexplained Weight Loss – The body will start to break down its own proteins (muscle) and fat to make up for the perceived lack of cellular energy. This despite the fact that the person is actually eating more.

5. Fatigue – Caused by the decreased energy levels.

6. Irritability and Depression.

7. Vision Impairment – An increase in blood volume caused by high blood glucose levels can lead to swelling of the eye’s lens.

Taken by themselves, or even as a group it is easy to see why these diabetic symptoms could be seen as part of any number of other conditions that can cause them. Everyday stress can cause fatigue, irritability, and depression. Depression is known to cause weight loss. Many of these signs and symptoms start out small; barely noticeable and as time progresses many people don’t actually see the changes because of the slow rate at which they occur.

These symptoms will get progressively worse as the affects of the diabetes creates a variety of complications that affects many of the bodily systems. It is important to note that these symptoms will not resolve themselves.

The sooner one can recognize the early warning signs of diabetes the sooner they can seek medical attention. Diagnosing diabetes early is key to successfully managing its long term affects. There is no known cure for diabetes but with lifestyle changes and proper medical treatment it can be controlled and its affects minimized.

To learn more about the symptoms and complications of diabetes please visit the web site Diabetic Diet Plans by Clicking Here.

A complication that all people with diabetes need to be aware of and on the lookout for is diabetic neuropathy. This is a disorder of the peripheral nerves, which are the nerves in the outermost portions of the body (feet, hands, etc.). Recognizing the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy are of major importance because to miss them can have life altering or even threatening affects.

Diabetic neuropathy is caused by the walls of the blood vessels that supply the nerves becoming thicker. The end result of this is less nutrients are unable to get to the nerves as well as a demyelinization (destruction of the myelin sheath that protects nerves) of the Schwann cells that surround and insulate the nerves. This slows the ability of the nerves to conduct impulses back to the brain. Sorbitol also forms and accumulates in the Schwann cells causing further nerve conduction impairment.

There are two forms of neuropathies that can form with diabetes; polynueropathies and mononeuropathies. Polynueropathies are the most common in those with diabetes and is a bilateral sensory disorder. The symptoms for this form of diabetic neuropathy are most common in the toes and feet and normally appear there first. The finger and hands can also be affected but this usually occurs during the later stages of the disease. Where the symptoms appear will depend on what nerves fibers are affected.

The symptoms can differ among individuals and is dependent on the amount of damage done to the nerves. It is a disorder that will get progressively worse if the diabetes is not properly managed. The first signs will normally be a subjective change in sensation in the extremities that can include numbness and tingling.

Other symptoms can include an aching pain, a burning or shooting sensation, or feeling like you have cold feet. As the neuropathy progresses the symptoms can include impaired sensations of pain, touch, temperature, vibration, and two-point discrimination. The only way to treat polyneuropathy is through management of the diabetes itself.

Mononeuropathies are isolated events that affect single nerves. The symptoms of this form of neuropathy are entirely dependent on which nerve is affected. They can affect the oculomotor nerve which can lead to headache, eye pains and an inability to move the eye in any direction.

Another symptom of mononeuropathies is Radiculopathy which is characterized by pain that seems to radiate from the spine to extend outward to cause symptoms away from the source of the spinal nerve root irritation. It is thought to be caused by an inadequate blood supply to the spinal nerve roots.

All diabetics, whether type 1 or type 2, need to be aware of the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. The sooner it is brought to the attention of the diabetics health care providers the sooner it can be managed through proper lifestyle choices that are centered on diet, exercise, and proper medical management.

For more information about the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy please visit the web site Diabetic Diet Plans by Clicking Here.

For the diabetic maintaining their blood sugar level in the normal range is key to successfully managing their disease. Without proper blood glucose control the diabetic risks a variety of disorders and complications that are caused by high blood sugar levels. Left untreated for a long period of time diabetes can become a life threatening illness.

When first diagnosed a doctor is looking for blood sugar levels within a certain range. There are three tests that can be used in diagnosing diabetes. These tests all require a blood draw and if the test comes back positive then that diagnosis must be confirmed on a following day using one of the three tests.

The three tests that can be used to diagnose diabetes and blood sugar levels that are looked for as recommended by the American Diabetes Association are:

1. Casual plasma glucose level at or above 200 mg/dL. This is in addition to showing symptoms of diabetes. The casual test can be taken anytime of the day regardless of the last time the person being tested ate.

2. The fasting plasma glucose test is done at least eight hours after the person has had their last intake of calories. The criteria for a positive result with this test are a plasma glucose greater then 126 mg/dL.

3. The two hour oral glucose tolerance test. This test is done by the patient drinking a glucose solution containing 75 anhydrous glucose dissolved in water. Blood is drawn two hours after drinking the solution and a positive result is a plasma glucose level greater than 200 mg/dL.

Once the diagnosis of diabetes is made it is important for the diabetic to work to maintain their blood sugar level within a certain range. This is done through self monitoring of blood glucose using a blood glucose monitor. Doing so will allow diabetics to monitor and control metabolic control of their disease and lessen the risk of hypo or hyperglycemia, both of which can have negative risks.

The diabetic blood sugar level that those with diabetes should try and maintain is between 70 to 120 mg/dL either before a meal, like breakfast, or four to five hours after their last meal or snack. Blood sugar will go up after any meal or snack and ideally it should drop to under 200 mg/dL about two hours after that meal.

By keeping tight blood sugar control the diabetic can live a long and healthy life and lower their risk for the many complications that include vision degradation, kidney disease, nerve damage and heart disease.

For more information about maintaining diabetic blood sugar level please visit the web site Diabetic Diet Plans by Clicking Here.