Progeria research: Substance from broccoli can moderate defects

Children who suffer from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) age prematurely due to a defective protein in their cells. Scientists at Technische Universität München (TUM) have now identified another important pathological factor: the system responsible for removing cellular debris and for breaking down defective proteins operates at lower levels in HGPS cells than in normal cells. The researchers have now succeeded in reactivating protein breakdown in HGPS cells and thus reducing disease-related defects with the help of a substance found in broccoli.

Most HGPS patients carry a mutation that produces a defective form of the protein lamin A. This defective protein is referred to as progerin. Normal lamin A is a key component of the matrix surrounding the DNA in the cell nucleus and plays a role in gene expression. By contrast, the defective form, progerin, is not functional but is nevertheless continuously synthesized. The result is that progerin accumulates in the nucleus and causes the cell to “age”. Consequently, HGPS patients develop classic diseases of old age such as atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, heart attacks and strokes. The disease is therefore regarded as a possible model system for the natural aging process in cells.

A window on the cell nucleus

In order to find out which specific metabolic pathways are affected by the mutation and the defective protein, Prof. Karima Djabali and her team from the TUM School of Medicine and the Institute for Medical Engineering conducted a comparative study of diseased and healthy tissue cells in which they investigated the composition of proteins in the cell nuclei and looked for differences.

However, initially they were struck not by a difference but by a common characteristic: they found that both healthy and diseased cells contained the defective protein form progerin, albeit not at the same amounts. “Progerin is also produced in healthy cells, probably as a byproduct. A well-functioning cellular waste disposal system can break down these small quantities of progerin,” says Djabali. The scientists found, however, 10 to 20 times more progerin in the nuclei of diseased cells – a huge backlog of debris that needs to be removed.

Debris removal disrupted in HGPS cells
The scientists observed, though, that cellular debris removal mechanisms known as the ubiquitin-proteasome system and autophagy no longer function sufficiently in HGPS. These two degradation systems are made of very large protein complexes responsible for breaking down defective or excessive proteins. In HGPS cells, some of these essential components are produced at lower levels. “These errors in the cellular debris disposal system enhance the effect that progerin accumulates and causes cell damage within a short time,” explains Djabali. In total, the researchers found more than 28 proteins with a broad range of functions that are faulty in the cell nuclei of HGPS patients – all resulting from a single mutation in the lamin A gene.

Substance from broccoli as a new therapeutic approach?
The scientists then combed the literature in search of substances that activate the proteasomal activity and autophagy and could therefore counteract the accumulation of progerin. In their quest, they found a substance in broccoli called sulforaphane that activates protein degradation in cells. The scientists treated the HGPS cells with the substance and found that significantly less progerin accumulated within the cells. Moreover, DNA damage and nuclear deformations, other effects of the disease, were also reduced in treated cells as compared with untreated cells.

“Of course our experiments are very basic, but every active substance and every new approach brings us a step closer to a treatment for HGPS patients. It could also help us develop anti-aging strategies in the future,” explains Djabali.

Source:Aging Cell

Thanks To Humans: 5 Trillion Pieces Of Plastic Can Now Be Found In The World’s Oceans

There are over 12.3 million pounds of trash running down the coast of our beaches and waterways —enough to fill the United States Capital Rotunda two-and-a-half times, a new study on plastic pollution around the world revealed.

The major new study of the world’s oceans, which waspublished in the journal PLOS ONE by Marcus Eriksen of the Five Gyres Institute in Los Angeles, uncovered the shocking fact: plastic is everywhere in the ocean.

The study’s findings were collected by scientists from the US, France, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, they included 24 ocean expeditions in 1,571 locations, conducted between 2007 and 2013, to reach their conclusions, warning that plastics are now spread across all of the world’s oceans.

Marcus Eriksen reportedly said:

“Our findings show that the garbage patches in the middle of the five subtropical gyres are not the final resting places for the world’s floating plastic trash. The endgame for micro-plastic is interactions with entire ocean ecosystems.”

The data was then used to run an ocean model to simulate the amount and distribution of plastic debris. According to IFL Science:

“The work totaled 680 surface tows using mesh nets and 891 visual survey transects of large debris. That’s when someone looks at the ocean surface from one side of the boat out to 20 meters, while taking note of all the large plastic debris during a set time frame. Then they used data to populate an oceanographic model of debris pollution, taking into account factors such as currents, circulation, and winds. They arrived at this staggering number: A minimum of 5.25 trillion particles weighing 268,940 tons are afloat in our world’s oceans.”

A large percentage of plastic and other synthetic polymers come from food packaging and clothing, as well as other manmade products. The majority of humans usually get rid of them, thinking that’s where their relationship with plastic ends.

The truth is they don’t know what happens next and how plastic gets into the oceans.

The study cautioned that its estimates are “highly conservative” and didn’t account for the massive amounts of plastic “present on shorelines, on the seabed, suspended in water columns and within organisms.” It added that the number is equivalent to each human being on the planet having dropped 700 pieces of plastic into the sea.

Here’s how trash travels. Ocean Conservancy

The scientists also revealed that large pieces of plastic can strangle animals such as seals, while smaller pieces are ingested by fish, allow them to enter the food chain.

The Guardian reported:

“This is problematic due to the chemicals contained within plastics, as well as the pollutants that plastic attract once they are in the marine environment.”

The trash we throw away and think we’ll never see again, in fact, makes its way to sea and into the bodies of its animals; this includes many different creatures such as turtles, fish, whales and many others. The high level of plastic and other rubbish isn’t only worrisome for the sake of our eco-system; it’s worrisome for the sake of public health.

Julia Reisser, one of the researchers, told the Guardian:

“We saw turtles that ate plastic bags and fish that ingested fishing lines. But there are also chemical impacts. When plastic gets into the water it acts like a magnet for oily pollutants. Bigger fish eat the little fish and then they end up on our plates. It’s hard to tell how much pollution is being ingested but certainly plastics are providing some of it.”

According to the researchers, as it was reported by IFL Science:

• The two northern hemisphere ocean regions contain 55.6% of particles and 56.8% of plastic mass.
• The North Pacific, in particular, contains 37.9% and 35.8% by particle count and mass, respectively.
• In the southern hemisphere, the Indian Ocean has a bigger particle count and accounts for more of the weight than the South Atlantic and South Pacific Ocean regions combined.

The plastic debris was separated into four 4 classes:

1. Small microplastics (0.33-1.00 millimeter in diameter).
2. Large microplastics (1.01-4.75 mm).
3. Mesoplastics (4.76-200 mm),
4. Macroplastics, the majority of which were derelict fishing buoys, (greater than 200 mm).

Andreas Merkl, Ocean Conservancy’s president and CEO, said in a press release, following the publishing of the study:

“Ocean trash truly is a global problem that affects human health and safety, endangers marine wildlife, and costs states and nations countless millions in wasted resources and lost revenue. At its core, however, ocean trash is not an ocean problem; it is a people problem — perpetuated by the often unwitting practices that industry and people have adopted over time. But I am convinced we can solve it if we have the audacity to confront the problem head-on.”

The American Chemistry Council, which represents U.S. plastic makers, replied to this study by making a statementthat noted to the importance of recycling plastics, similar to a 2011 worldwide industry statement promising to put maximum efforts to reduce marine litter.

The American Chemistry Council statement expressed:

“America’s plastics makers wholeheartedly agree that littered plastics of any kind do not belong in the marine environment. Even after plastics have fulfilled their initial purpose, these materials should be treated as valuable resources and recycled whenever possible or recovered for their energy value when they cannot.”

Marcus Eriksen also added:

“It is imperative that the use of plastics include a 100% recovery plan, or choose 100% environmental harmlessness in your choice of material.”

The researchers also mentioned that only 5% of the world’s plastic is presently being recycled.

Sources:

(1) PLOS ONE (the main study)

(2) The Guardian

(3) IFL Science

Emami Group ties up with Hevert of Germany for distribution & marketing of homoeopathic medicines

Emami Group's arm companies, M Bhattacharyya and King & Co., have forged a strategic technical collaboration with Hevert, one of the top ten manufacturers of homoeopathic medicines in the world based at Nussbaum, Germany. M Bhattacharyya and King & Co are based in Kolkata and belonging to well diversified Emami Group engaged in different sectors like FMCG, paper, edible oil, etc.

Under this strategic partnership, three agreements have been signed for distribution & marketing, GMP consultancy and licence for manufacturing select Hevert formulations in India. The process of manufacturing will start from the month of April 2015. The objective of this collaboration is to make world class German homoeopathic remedies available in India by importing, marketing & manufacturing them in India by M Bhattacharyya & Co. Pvt. Ltd. and King & Co. (Homoeo Chemist) Pvt. Ltd. 

Riding on the rising consumer shift for side-effect free medicine, the Rs.1,500 crore homoeopathy pharma segment has been growing at a fast clip of 25 per cent annually. With this joint venture, Emami Group has upped its ante to aggressively enter the premium homoeopathy medicine segment in India—initially by importing and marketing the Hevert medicines from Germany followed by manufacturing the formulations in India. 

The formal announcement to this joint venture was made at a press conference organized in Kolkata today. It was attended by Mathias Hevert, managing director, Hevert, Juergen Kuhlmann, sales director international & export, Hevert, Dr Ralf Weirich, head marketing/sales/export, Hevert, Rainer Schmiedchen, consul general, German Consulate, Kolkata, Krishna Mardi, Jt Secretary, Dept of Health & Family Welfare, GoWB, R S Goenka, founder & Jt chairman, Emami Group of Companies and R K Jatia, director, King & Co.

As a part of the said venture, presently, M Bhattacharyya has emerged as the sole importer and distributor for six homoeopathic products from Hevert stable in India. These products are namely Hevert Cold & Flu Relief, Hevert Cough Relief, Hevert Stress Relief, Hevert Vertigo Relief, Hevert Pain Relief and Hevert Allergy Relief. The products will be available in 400 homoeopathy medicine retail outlets across diverse distribution channels. There are plans to import and market two other medicines at a later date, namely, Hevert Sinus Relief and Hevert Stomach Relief. 

Hailing this strategic relationship, R S Agarwal, Founder & joint chairman, Emami Group of Companies said that, “Homoeopathy is a vast area of knowledge and it is necessary to keep ourselves updated with significant international developments in this area of treatment.  As a homoeopathic brand, M Bhattacharyya has been enjoying people’s trust for over 120 years. However, to stay relevant with the passing time, it is necessary to keep pace with advanced developments happening globally. We were always open for strategic technical collaboration with international homoeopathic firms and I am confident that our partnership with Hevert is going to benefit the consumers in India immensely.”

R S Goenka, founder & joint chairman, Emami Group of Companies added that, “German homoeopathic medicines are highly accepted and trusted by consumers across the world. Therefore, this Indo-German association in the field of homoeopathic and natural medicines will go a long way in changing the course of homoeopathic treatment in India. Together we share a common philosophy of making people healthy and beautiful and pledge to take good health to every household in India”.

R K Jatia, director King & Co said, “I take pride in announcing that the year 2014-15 shall be a landmark year in Indian homoeopathic industry wherein we shall import world class products for Indian market. Our existing facility at Madhyamgram has been specially upgraded to comply with the EU GMP norms which will enable us to manufacture select Hevert products in India” 

Mathias Hevert, managing director of Hevert-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co.KG said that, “We are really happy and proud to offer our proven homoeopathic products to Indian people with the help of our partner M Bhattacharyya & Co. Private Limited. Our main stay is quality. Our products are of very high standards with minimum side effects and are naturally effective. A large number of our formulas were created in collaboration with students of the famous Pastor Emanuel Felke, one of the pioneers of naturopathy and the co-founder of complex homoeopathy.  With continuous improvements, these medicines have already proven their efficacy to millions of patients worldwide with very low rate of side effects.”  

Emami Group of Companies enjoy a strong presence in other areas of healthcare through its various Group Companies. While, Emami Limited, the flagship Company of the Group, manufactures ayurvedic OTC, generic and ethical drugs under the Zandu portfolio, Emami Frank Ross is a landmark brand in the field of retail pharmacy in the country. AMRI Hospitals, also owned by Emami Group, is one of the largest chain of hospitals in the private sector in Eastern India, while, M Bhattacharyya and King & Co., both Emami Group companies, are trusted names in homoeopathic and natural medicines for more than a century.

M Bhattacharyya & Co. Pvt. Limited was acquired by Emami Group on April 1, 2007. M Bhattacharyya & Co. Pvt. Limited offers homoeopathy products like mother tinctures, dilutions, biochemic remedies, biochemic combinations, and trituration; and offers special formulations, including cardiolif for heart, diabetol for diabetes, alfalfa tonic with ginseng for general health, Liverquin syrup for liver, and coughkure syrup for cough, and babycare products.
Source:Pharmabiz

Brain Changes in Anorexia Nervosa can be Reversed With Treatment

Researchers have found that changes in brain structure - global thinning of cortical gray matter - in acutely ill anorexia nervosa patients can be completely reversed with successful weight rehabilitation therapy.

The study participants were subjected to MRI scanning immediately following admission to specialized eating disorder clinics at the Dresdener University Hospital. Thereafter, they were treated successful with complete restoration of normal weight, eating behavior and menstruation. It was noticed that roughly 50 percent of the patients who received treatment successfully maintain these criteria. Prof. Stefan Ehrlich explained, "We observed complete normalization of cortical gray matter thickness in the long-term weight rehabilitated patients in our sample. Not only the spatial expanse but also the magnitude of cortical gray matter thinning in acute anorexia nervosa is noteworthy - comparable to that typically observed in Alzheimer's disease."

Though it is an encouraging finding for those suffering from the eating disorder, it is an extremely long road to long-term recovery, and anorexia nervosa may have other serious long-term consequences that are not reversible, such as reduction of bone mass due to osteoporosis. 

Source:The findings are published in the renowned journal Biological Psychiatry.

 

 

Beet Juice is Nitrate-Rich, Helps Prevent Hypertension, Heart Attack

The long-standing controversial nitrite hypothesis has been recently confirmed in a new research by scientists and has been reported. 

As director of Wake Forest University's Translational Science Center, Daniel Kim-Shapiro, and others have conducted studies that look at how nitrite and its biological precursor, nitrate (found in beet root juice) can be utilized in treatments for a variety of conditions. 

In a 2010 study, they were the first to find a link between consumption of nitrate-rich beet juice and increased blood flow to the brain. 

The research showed that deoxygenated hemoglobin was indeed responsible for triggering the conversion of nitrite to nitric oxide, a process that affects blood flow and clotting. 

Understanding how nitrite can improve conditions such as hypertension, heart attack and stroke has been the object of worldwide research studies. New research from Wake Forest University has potentially moved the science one step closer to this goal. 

Kim-Shapiro said that they have shown the conversion of nitrite to nitric oxide by deoxygenated hemoglobin in red blood cells that reduces platelet activation, and this action has implications in treatments to reduce clotting in pathological conditions including sickle cell disease and stroke. 

In 2003, Kim-Shapiro collaborated with Mark Gladwin, now at the University of Pittsburgh, who led a study that showed that nitrite (which is also used to cure processed meats), was not biologically inert as had been previously thought, but can be converted to the important signaling molecule nitric oxide (NO), and thereby increase blood flow. At that time, the researchers hypothesized that the conversion of nitrite to NO was due to a reaction with deoxygenated hemoglobin in red blood cells. 

The main goal of the latest research, Kim-Shapiro said, was to determine how red blood cells perform these important signaling functions that lead to increased blood flow. The researchers used several biophysical techniques to measure NO production from nitrite and red blood cells and examined the mechanism of NO production. 

The study will be published in issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.


 

How To Rid Your Joints Of Uric Acid Crystals (Gout & Joint Pain)

A recent study found that a diet rich in acidic foods increases uric acid levels in the body, leading to conditions such as gout (form of arthritis), joint pain, and uric acid crystallization.

Peter was suddenly jolted from his sleep by a sharp and throbbing pain in his left foot. He looked down to see that his big toe was extremely swollen and red, so tender and sore that even the lightest friction from the bed sheet was too much to bear. This was becoming a common occurrence in his life, a highly inconvenient one at that.

Wendy could barely function at work. She struggled to even finish her morning coffee for fear of having to go to the bathroom, for every time she did, she would nearly pass out from the immense pain shooting through her belly and pubic area. This was her second case of kidney stones in the same year.

If you or somebody you know is suffering from kidney issues, joint pain, or a condition known as gout, then you probably know how unfortunate it is to experience a lower quality of life at the hands of a debilitating ailment.

Uric acid crystallization has been linked to gout, kidney stones, joint pain, and more.

According to Global RPH, approximately 2 million people suffer from gout, a form or arthritis, 75-90% of which are men. Gout has been known to lead to painful conditions such as kidney stones due to the build up of uric acid in the blood or urine.

Although there are multiple factors which can lead to high levels of uric acid in the body, a recent study suggests that uric acid build-up can be likened to one substantial factor – an acidic diet. The study explores the theory that by introducing a more alkaline diet to the body, one can effectively lower uric acid levels, thereby reducing instances of gout and other kidney and joint related issues.

What The Scientific Evidence States

The study enrolled a group of healthy female students, who had no medical problems at their regular physical examinations provided by the university, in a back-to-back 5-day study which compared urine samples from a high-protein, less vegetable/fruit laden diet (acidic) to a low-protein, high-vegetable/fruit diet (alkaline).

Researchers measured the total volume of urine, the pH, levels of organic acids, creatinine, uric acid, and titratable acid, as well as all cations (Na+,K+,Ca2+,Mg2+,NH4+) and anions (Cl−,SO42−,PO4−) necessary for the estimation of acid–base balance.

The study noted a linear relationship between higher acidic serum levels and the metabolic degradation of materials being consumed (diet).  Uric acid in the serum was higher in the acidic group than in the alkaline group, therefore from these observations, it is considered that uric acid may be reabsorbed more actively in acidic urine than in alkaline urine where it is more actively excreted.

Conclusion & What To Eat For Alkalinity

According to the study, high protein foods (rich in amino acids) were prone to acidic by-products. This included meat, eggs, and some dairy products such as butter. Furthermore, foods such as corn, alcohol, sugar,salad oils, and mayo were also found to produce acidic by-products in the body.

On the flip side, here are the foods that produced alkaline conditions in the body:  Green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, miso, basil, cucumber, cabbage, kiwi, pineapple, mushrooms, yams, vinegar, walnuts, bell peppers, and more.  

Researchers also noted that since the study was conducted exclusively on female students, experiments of the same kind need to be performed on male students, on older populations and also on people with hyperuricemia at baseline for generalization of dietary intervention.

Bottom line: Dietary intervention is one of the best choices in preventing conditions caused by uric acid build-up such as gout and joint pain, and an alkaline rich diet is an effective way to go about preventing these types of disorders.

The Ultimate Alkalizing Cocktails

Using the acidic/alkaline chart from Alkalife, we’ve put together two fantastic alkalizing cocktails to help eliminate acidic environments in the body. Enjoy!

Ginger-Fruit Iced Tea

Ingredients:

• Organic ginger tea
• Purified and alkaline water
• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon &/or lime juice
• 1/4 cup of organic grapefruit juice

Directions:

1. Steep the ginger tea in purified, alkaline water for 5 minutes or until desired colour. Let cool.
2. Stir in lemon and/or lime juice as well as the grapefruit juice. Add ice and enjoy! (Can be enjoyed hot as well during the winter months)

The Very-Berry-Banana Smoothie

Ingredients (serves 1):

• 2 ripe medium-large bananas
• 2 cups of frozen mixed berries (strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, and/or raspberry)
• 1-2 cups of kale (spine removed; your choice of variety)
• 2-3 tablespoons of raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup – 1 cup of purified water

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients into a medium-high powered blender until smooth consistency (I used a Vitamix; a Nutribullet also works well).

The Secret Intelligence Of Plants

Plants have electrical and chemical signaling systems, may possess memory, and exhibit brainy behavior in the absence of brains.”

-CONSTRUCTION by Stephen Doyle

The idea that plants possess intelligence worthy of in depth exploration is an idea still largely scoffed at, despite  the emergence of research suggesting otherwise. In large part, this is due to the widespread belief that “intelligence” and “brains” are inextricably connected, that the two must coexist to exist at all. The problem with this is our perception of what a “brain” is.

When defining the brain, we fixate too much  on the physicals, like that it exists within a skull, and not enough on the invisibles, such as how it functions. Due to this, we believe brains can only exist in lifeforms that have  skulls, like humans and animals, to rest in. However, when looking deeper into the characteristics of plants, we begin to find they have impressively elegant mechanisms, ones typically reserved only for those with brains. This, of course, brings us to the regrettably too often overlooked intelligence of plants.

Plants communicate chemically, in a manner which we cannot directly decipher. For example, an insect attack is stimulated and the release of volatile chemicals is instigated when sagebrush leaves are clipped in the spring, resulting in a significant reduction of the extent to which both the clipped plant and the unclipped plants around it suffer. Chemical communication amongst plants may also be of benefit to farmers, as research by Jack Shultz, a chemical ecologist at the University of Missouri, found that plant-distress chemicals may be used to prime plant defenses, thus eliminating the need for pesticides. Plants also display excellent hearing capabilities, a fact well demonstrated in a study showing how in reaction to the sound of a caterpillar munching on a leaf, plants secrete defensive chemicals as a response to a perceived potential threat from a foreign sound.

Although plants do not have “brains,” in the sense which us humans define them as, -meaning they consist within the boundaries of a skull- they possess intricate neuronal networks with more neurons than the human brain. One might say their roots are their brains, and since they are not confined by a skull like the human brain, they are able to expand infinitely, with no existing limit on the knowledge which they obtain. Plants sense, learn, remember and react in ways similar to humans. The sensory abilities of plants are so distinguished and immaculate that they are able to gather all sensory data from one day, and integrate it to formulate an appropriate response.  

Plants not only produce anesthetics, they respond to them as well. This does not, however, directly prove that plants feel pain -a topic still up for debate among scientists. What is clear is that plants possess all of the same senses attributed to humans, a fact surprising to some; as well as ones which do not follow under the category of the human senses, a fact surprising to most. Aside from their abilities to feel, hear, and taste, plants sense obstacles able to impede the growth of their roots before coming into contact with them, and shift their direction of growth accordingly. They are also able to sense gravity and the presence of water. Exactly how plants have the same senses as humans, not to mention in some ways more distinguished ones, all while void of what we envision a brain to be, remains a mystery, its answers lying in the still vastly unnavigated terrain of plant consciousness and intelligence. What we know for sure is that, like us, plants produce neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and other chemicals to send and receive electrical signals. Concrete details beyond this remain a mystery -one that some scientists are working to unveil. Other, less humble ones, of course, label the very idea of plant consciousness and intelligence as quackery, still unaware that true science often lies in the beauty of not knowing.

Sources:

• Buffie, E. (Director). (2013). What Plants Talk About. United States: Merit Motion Pictures.
• Science Friday. (2014, January 10). New research on plant intelligence may forever change how you think about plants. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-01-09/new-research-plant-intelligence-may-forever-change-how-you-think-about-plants
• Nature (Season 31) – What Plants Talk About | Pressroom | THIRTEEN. (2013, April 3). Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.thirteen.org/13pressroom/press-release/nature-season-31-what-plants-talk-about/
• Pollan, M. (2013, December 23). The Intelligent Plant – The New Yorker. Retrieved October 30, 2014, fromhttp://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/23/the-intelligent-plant

Food Ingredient can Make You Feel 'Fuller' Without Overeating

For the first time, scientists have developed an ingredient, which when added to foods can make one fell more filling.

 The ingredient devised by the researchers at Imperial College London and the University of Glasgow contains propionate, which stimulates the gut to release hormones that act on the brain to reduce hunger. Propionate is produced naturally when dietary fibre is fermented by microbes in the gut, but the new ingredient, called inulin-propionate ester (IPE), provides much larger quantities of propionate than people can acquire with a normal diet. 

Professor Gary Frost, who led the study at the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, said that molecules like propionate stimulate the release of gut hormones that control appetite, but people need to eat huge amounts of fibre to achieve a strong effect. They wanted to find a more efficient way to deliver propionate to the gut. 

The small, proof-of-principle study showed encouraging signs that supplementing one's diet with the ingredient they've developed prevented weight gain in overweight people. 

Source:The findings are published today in the journal Gut.

 

Low Blood Glucose Levels in Diabetics can be Fatal for Heart

A new study has confirmed a link between hypoglycaemia and an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in insulin-treated patients with diabetes.

 Scientists from the University of Leicester demonstrated that, following hypoglycaemia, insulin-treated patients with diabetes had a 60 percent higher risk of cardiovascular events and were between 2-2.5 times more likely to die over the same period as patients who did not experience hypoglycaemia. 

Researcher Kamlesh Khunti, who led the research, said that this is one of the first studies to report the risk of cardiovascular events and mortality in people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The risks are very significant and people need to identify these patients early with a view to implementing strategies to reduce their risk of hypoglycaemia.

Patients with diabetes are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease due to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels, which is a major cause of early death in these patients, and the results of the study show that hypoglycaemia, which occurs when a patient's blood glucose becomes dangerously low, can trigger potentially fatal cardiovascular events. 

Researcher Melanie Davies commented that the data from this important and large piece of research confirms what they already know in people with type 2 diabetes and extends their knowledge in those with type 1 diabetes. 

Davies added that it also confirms the significance of hypoglycaemia and the link with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, a risk that persists over a long time period, and going forward they need to focus on management strategies that help patients minimise their risk of having hypoglycaemic events. 

The findings of this investigation are a stark reminder of the challenges facing patients with diabetes and could lead to changes in the management of insulin-treated patients, particularly those at high risk of cardiovascular events. 

The study is published online in the journal Diabetes Care on December 9.