All posts tagged: Diabetes

Is taking Ozempic during Ramadan cheating?

Is taking Ozempic during Ramadan cheating?

Published by skeptic

(RNS) — Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound — all part of a class of drugs called GLP-1 medications — have been a gamechanger for people struggling with diabetes and obesity, and, as celebrities from Oprah Winfrey to Khloé Kardashian to Kelly Clarkson have disclosed, a revolutionary weight-loss aid. The public interest in GLP-1s was further fueled by a commercial that ran during this year’s Super Bowl for a tele-health service that offers an off-brand version of the drug. There are growing concerns that adopting GLP-1 as a lifestyle drug is not ideal for everyone. Last year Saturday Night Live, with Ramy Youssef hosting, featured a faux-commercial for “Ozempic for Ramadan,” showing Muslims “shooting up” Ozempic when fasting bogged them down. But Muslims who are taking a GLP-1 caution that it has affected their experience of the holy month in unexpected ways. During Ramadan, observant Muslims abstain from food and beverages from sunrise to sunset. The fast begins after an early morning meal called suhoor and is broken each day with a celebratory meal called iftar. Initially it …

Ozempic is increasingly being linked to vision loss. What’s the truth?

Ozempic is increasingly being linked to vision loss. What’s the truth?

Published by skeptic

Like all medicines, Ozempic is not without side effects myskin/Shutterstock Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs are, without a doubt, revolutionising medicine. They have transformed our ability to manage obesity and type 2 diabetes, but have actually shown potential for a wide range of conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease, addiction and depression. Yet, as our understanding of the benefits of these drugs grows, so too does our knowledge about their potential side effects, one of which appears to be a rare type of vision loss called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Source link

Gene-edited cells that evade rejection show promise in type 1 diabetes

Gene-edited cells that evade rejection show promise in type 1 diabetes

Published by skeptic

A transmission electron micrograph of a section through pancreas tissue, showing cells that produce insulin STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Alamy The first human trial of insulin-producing cells that have been gene-edited to evade immune attack is a success so far. The cells have survived and produced insulin for a month after being injected into a 42-year-old man with type 1 diabetes early in December. As a precaution, only a small number of insulin-producing beta cells were injected into a forearm muscle in this initial test, so the man still needs insulin injections. It also remains to be seen how long the… Source link

Smartwatches could transform lives of people with diabetes | Politics | News

Smartwatches could transform lives of people with diabetes | Politics | News

Published by Sam

A high-tech transformation of the NHS means people with diabetes or high blood pressure may be able to monitor their health at home using smart watches or wearable technology instead of making regular trips to a clinic. Radical changes in the way healthcare is delivered in England will be explored as part of a 10-year plan to reboot the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to “rebuild the health service around what patients tell us they need”. It wants to turn it “on its head” so it becomes a “neighbourhood health service”. At the heart of the plan are new neighbourhood health centres where people will be able to see family doctors, district nurses, care workers, physiotherapists, health visitors, or mental health specialists “all under the same roof”. It is hoped this will mean people with multiple condition will no longer have to go “from pillar to post”. Also, people will be able to get a scan or treatment for minor injuries such as cuts without having to wait hours in an overstretched hospital. …

Scientists reveal strong connection between zinc levels and Type 2 Diabetes

Scientists reveal strong connection between zinc levels and Type 2 Diabetes

Published by skeptic

In an important new study, scientists have found a strong connection between zinc levels in the human body and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This research, published in the journal eLife, has greatly improved our understanding of how crucial zinc is for our body’s metabolic functions. Deep Dive into the Study Academics and experts have lauded this investigation as pivotal to our grasp over zinc’s involvement in metabolic processes. The research team has employed cutting-edge genetic analysis techniques on a large cohort of human participants. Loss of the Zinc transporter SLC39A5 protects from obesity-driven hyperglycemia and liver pathology. (CREDIT: eLife) The outcome? A potential therapeutic target for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes. Such a revelation holds interest for those engrossed in both metabolism research and trace element biology. Zinc’s significance in the world of insulin production and glucose metabolism isn’t a new revelation. Shek Man Chim, the lead author and Principal Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., New York, US, shed light on this, stating, “We …

New miniature scanner could revolutionise diagnosis of diseases like cancer, diabetes and arthritis | Science & Tech News

New miniature scanner could revolutionise diagnosis of diseases like cancer, diabetes and arthritis | Science & Tech News

Published by skeptic

A breakthrough in miniaturising a type of scanner that uses laser light, rather than harmful X-rays, to see beneath our skin in unprecedented detail may help revolutionise medical imaging, according to a team of researchers in the UK. The device, developed by scientists at University College London (UCL), is particularly effective at imaging blood vessels, making it a fundamentally new tool for diagnosing and managing diseases like arthritis, diabetes and some cancers. It uses a technique called Photoaccoustic Tomography (PAT) that uses laser light, and the ultrasound waves it triggers in certain tissues, to piece together a three-dimensional image of our biology in real-time. The technique was pioneered more than 20 years ago, but previous versions required several seconds or minutes to record an image. The team at UCL have reduced that time to a second or less. Image: Scans show the inflammation around a lump on the skin over a series of days. Pic: University College London They hope their breakthrough will lead to a hand-held scanner for routine use in clinics that avoids …

Once-weekly insulin as effective as daily injections for patients with type 2 diabetes

Once-weekly insulin as effective as daily injections for patients with type 2 diabetes

Published by skeptic

A new study highlights promising results for a once-weekly insulin injection in managing blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes. This research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) and presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), found that insulin efsitora alfa (efsitora) is just as effective and safe as traditional daily insulin injections, such as insulin degludec, in controlling blood sugar levels. The study was led by Dr. Carol Wysham from the MultiCare Rockwood Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology in Spokane, Washington. For many patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin becomes a necessary addition to their treatment plan when oral medications alone fail to control their blood sugar. However, daily insulin injections can be challenging for some patients. Factors like the inconvenience of daily injections, concerns about weight gain, and the fear of hypoglycemic episodes (commonly referred to as “hypos”) can make it difficult for people to adhere to their treatment. The potential for a once-weekly insulin injection offers hope for simplifying …

FDA announces that eating yogurt can help prevent type 2 diabetes

FDA announces that eating yogurt can help prevent type 2 diabetes

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The FDA found credible evidence suggesting that yogurt consumption could be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently issued a statement regarding the potential health benefits of yogurt, particularly in relation to reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. This announcement follows the evaluation of a petition by Danone North America, advocating for health claims that link regular yogurt consumption with a decreased likelihood of developing this chronic condition. Health claims on food labels are tools used by manufacturers to inform consumers about potential health benefits related to their products. These claims must be grounded in scientific evidence and are categorized into two types: authorized health claims and qualified health claims. Authorized claims require robust evidence and consensus within the scientific community, while qualified claims are supported by preliminary evidence but do not meet the stringent criteria of significant scientific agreement. In its review of the evidence provided by Danone and other relevant studies, the FDA found credible but limited evidence …

Apple Butter Cafe, London W1: ‘Food to make a diabetes doctor sigh anxiously’ – restaurant review | Restaurants

Apple Butter Cafe, London W1: ‘Food to make a diabetes doctor sigh anxiously’ – restaurant review | Restaurants

Published by skeptic

Apple Butter Cafe, which recently opened a second branch at the top of London’s Regent Street, is very much a cafe of its time. Today’s young may be eschewing the vices of yesteryear – booze, ciggies, drugs, etc – but their Achilles heel is sugar. Build a cafe that serves short stacks of chunky, fat pancakes smothered in banoffee syrup and topped with mini meringues, shards of tempered chocolate, quenelles of thick cream and microplaned lemon zest, and they will come. Post a video on TikTok of someone blowtorching said pancake stack, so the meringue browns and gives the whole hot mess a baked alaska vibe, however, and your customers will queue from 8am for the chance to make their own content next to the fake plastic trees “growing” inside the cafe. ‘Fortunately, the place is only a hop, skip and a jump from Harley Street’: Apple Butter Cafe’s creme brulee french toast. Photograph: The Guardian Sugar is the most cheerily pernicious of vices. I come from a long line of bingo-winged, eccles cake-addicted Methodist …

Kelly Osbourne maintains she has ‘never’ used Ozempic for weight loss after praise of diabetes drug

Kelly Osbourne maintains she has ‘never’ used Ozempic for weight loss after praise of diabetes drug

Published by skeptic

Kelly Osbourne is setting the record straight on her use – or rather, lack thereof – of Ozempic. Though the English television personality has previously praised the diabetes drug known for its weight loss effects, she has now revealed that unlike her mom Sharon Osbourne, she herself didn’t use Ozempic for her own recent weight loss. Ozempic – among other versions of semaglutide, such as Wegovy – has become an increasingly popular and contested topic in Hollywood and beyond, with stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Tracey Morgan, Amy Schumer, Chelsea Handler, and Charles Barkley, among others, having previously admitted to using it. You may also likeWATCH: Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne’s Wild Love Story Speaking with People, Kelly revealed: “I just have to clarify, I’ve never taken Ozempic,” and explained: “I don’t know what Ozempic does to you other than what I saw it do to my mom.” Still, she did note she sees it as a “miracle drug” when “in the right hands,” and added: “The pros outweigh the cons.” She continued: “If you really …