Diabetes Archive

News briefs

A Mediterranean-style diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, poultry, fish, and olive oil, and it's associated with lower risks for heart disease and diabetes. And a "greener" version of the eating style might be even more effective, according to a small, randomized study published online Nov. 23, 2020, by the journal Heart. Researchers — some from Harvard — recruited about 300 sedentary, middle-aged people (mostly men) with high cholesterol or abdominal obesity and divided them into three groups. One received guidance for exercise and a healthy diet; another received exercise guidance and was assigned to eat a calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet; and one group received exercise guidance and was assigned to eat a "greener" calorie-restricted Mediterranean diet with less animal-based and more plant-based proteins (including walnuts and a type of duckweed — an aquatic plant), plus lots of green tea. After six months, people on the "green" diet had lost more weight and inches around their middles, and had bigger drops in cholesterol, than people in the other two groups. "Green" dieters also had steeper declines in insulin resistance, inflammation markers, and diastolic blood pressure (the lower number in the measurement), compared with the other two groups.

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On call

Q. I want to avoid another kidney stone attack. What's your advice about diet, coffee, tea, and alcohol?

A. The foods you eat and the amount of fluid you drink can contribute to some types of kidney stones. Certainly, you can help prevent recurrent kidney stones by paying attention to your fluid and food intake.

Research we're watching

A unique diabetes drug shows heart-related benefits in people with diabetes who also have recently worsening heart failure or kidney disease, according to two new studies.

The drug, sotagliflozin (Zynquista), belongs to a class of drugs called SGLT2 inhibitors, which cause the kidneys to release more sugar into the urine. The drug is also an SGLT1 inhibitor, meaning it decreases sugar absorption in the intestines. This dual action lowers high blood sugar, the hallmark of diabetes. In people with kidney disease, sotagliflozin lowered the total number of deaths from cardiovascular disease and hospitalizations and urgent visits for heart failure by about 26% compared with a placebo. In a second study, which included people with recently worsening heart failure, those taking the drug had a 33% decrease in those same heart-related measures compared with a placebo.

Research we're watching

Doing vigorous exercise for just 12 minutes triggers changes in blood levels of substances linked to cardiovascular health, new research finds.

The study used data from 411 middle-aged adults from the Framingham Heart Study. Researchers measured levels of 588 substances involved in metabolism (metabolites) in the volunteers' blood before and immediately after 12 minutes of vigorous exercise on an exercise bike.

Learn what will and won't increase blood sugar levels and put your health in jeopardy.

It's essential to keep your blood sugar from spiking (rising suddenly), whether you're healthy or you're among the 122 million Americans who have diabetes or prediabetes. But with all the conflicting advice in circulation, it can be hard to figure out what foods and habits you need to avoid.

Bogus claims

On the Internet you'll find many reports of factors that purportedly increase blood sugar. Here are a few claims that you should know about because they just don't hold up.

Ask the doctor

Q. Should I get a test for COVID-19 antibodies, even though I've never had any symptoms and I don't think I've had the virus?

A. A blood test for COVID-19 antibodies tells you if you have been infected in the past; it does not accurately tell you if you are currently infected. You can get an antibody test through your doctor, or possibly through a testing center set up by your state or city.

Ask the doctor

Q. Should I make my kids get tested for COVID-19 before they come to visit me?

A. As we go to press, in most communities in the United States and Europe, the virus still is widespread — particularly among young adults. Many young adults who become infected do not develop symptoms, and therefore may not suspect they are infected. Worse, they may be shedding the virus and able to infect others. Older people are more vulnerable to becoming severely ill from the virus than young adults (although some young adults and even children can become very ill). So if my kids had symptoms that might indicate they had COVID-19, I'd ask them not to come. If they had no symptoms but were living in a "hot spot," I'd ask them to get tested before they traveled — and not to visit if they tested positive. I would hate not to see the kids, but it's a sacrifice we have to make until we control the virus.

Because change is so difficult, it's useful to have a guide when attempting to kick an addiction to drugs, alcohol or behavior. Research shows that the following steps can help you move toward your recovery goals. You have the greatest chance of success if you adopt all five steps.

1. Set a quit date. It might be helpful to choose a meaningful date like a special event, birthday, or anniversary.

News briefs

Drinking coffee or green tea is associated with many health benefits, such as better cardiovascular health, lower inflammation levels, and a reduced risk for developing chronic disease. Now, a study published online Oct. 20, 2020, by BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care suggests tea and coffee consumption are also linked to a reduced risk for early death among people with diabetes. Researchers evaluated the health and self-reported lifestyle habits — including diet — of about 5,000 people in Japan over five years. Compared with people who didn't drink any coffee or green tea, people who drank the most had much lower risks of premature death from any cause: about 40% lower for people who drank either two cups of coffee or four cups of tea per day; and 63% lower for people who drank both four cups of tea plus two cups of coffee per day. The study is only observational and doesn't prove that the drinks keep people alive longer. But we know coffee and tea contain powerful plant compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are good for health.

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On call

Q. I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, but are whole grains also important?

A. Fruits and vegetables seem to get top billing on the healthy food list, but I put whole grains right up there. There are two types of grain: whole and refined. All grains grow as kernels, and each kernel has three layers: