Cellular Energy May Be Depleted In Patients With Obesity And Diabetes By Increased Fructose Consumption
Obese people who consume increased amounts of fructose, a type of sugar that is found in particular in soft drinks and fruit juices, are at risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NFALD) and more its more severe forms, fatty inflammation and scarring. Now researchers at Duke University Medical Center believe they better understand what mechanism may account for fructose-related liver injury. Chronic fructose consumption in a diet puts people at risk for depleting their store of critically important molecules called ATP, which provide liver cells (and other body cells) energy for important cellular processes, including metabolism.
Important Mechanism That Affects The Aging Process Identified
Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified a key mechanism of action for the TOR (target of rapamycin) protein kinase, a critical regulator of cell growth which plays a major role in illness and aging. This finding not only illuminates the physiology of aging but could lead to new treatments to increase lifespan and control age-related conditions, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and neurodegeneration. Over the past decade, studies have shown that inhibiting TOR activity, which promotes cell growth by regulating protein synthesis, increases lifespan in a variety of species including flies and mice;
How The Heart Can Regulate Energy Balance Throughout the Body
According to a study in the April 27 edition of Cell, Dr. Chad Grueter, a postdoctoral researcher in molecular biology and his team from the UT Southwestern Medical Center have, for the first time, demonstrated the heart's ability to regulate energy balance throughout the body. The finding may lead to more effective therapies for diabetes, heart disease and obesity, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affect tens of millions of people in the U.S. The researchers discovered in a mouse model that feeding mice a high-fat diet meant they could manipulate a heart-specific genetic pathway that prevents obesity and protects against dangerous changes in blood-sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes.