Could a common sugar in processed foods be fueling childhood liver disease?
February 12, 2025 / Fructose and Liver Disease / Childhood Obesity Risks / MASLD in Children / Metabolic Health
A study in Nutrients links high fructose intake to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in children with obesity. Adolescents showed higher visceral fat and insulin resistance, highlighting fructose’s role in liver health and metabolic risk.
Midwest Health Purchasers Collaborative Partners with Vida Health to Expand Access to Obesity Specialty Care
February 11, 2025 / Emloyer Obesity Management / GLP-1 Medication Costs / Vida Health / Obesity Care / Weight Loss
The Midwest Health Purchasers Collaborative partnered with Vida Health to provide employers cost-effective obesity care, integrating behavior change and GLP-1 medication management. This value-based approach improves health outcomes while controlling obesity-related costs for employers.
CHI Memorial Metabolic And Bariatric Program Maintains Accreditation
February 17, 2025 / Bariatric Surgery Accreditation / Obesity Treatment / Weight Loss Surgery / Metabolic Surgery Outcomes
CHI Memorial’s Metabolic and Bariatric Program maintained accreditation, ensuring high-quality surgical obesity care. Accredited centers achieve better outcomes, with bariatric surgery effectively treating severe obesity and related conditions like diabetes and sleep apnea.
Phase 2 trial of DD01 in treating MASH completes enrollment
February 17, 2025 / MASH Clinical Trial / Liver Disease Treatment / GLP-1 Therapy / Fatty Liver Disease
D&D Pharmatech completed enrollment for its Phase 2 trial of DD01, a dual GLP-1/glucagon receptor agonist for MASH. The treatment aims to reduce liver fat, improve glucose control, and promote weight loss without a lengthy titration phase.
Diabetes drugs may boost brain health but experts warn of risks
February 16, 2024 / GLP-1 / Brain Health / Diabetes Drugs / Dementia / GLP-1 RAs / Mental Health Effects / Obesity Drugs
A review in Nature Mental Health suggests GLP-1 receptor agonists may improve cognitive function, dementia risk, and substance-use disorders. However, findings are mixed, with potential risks like mood disturbances and suicidal thoughts requiring further investigation.
Zinc levels linked to type 2 diabetes risk, study finds
February 13, 2025 / Zinc / Diabetes Risk / Metabolic Health / Type 2 Diabetes / Blood Sugar Control
A study in eLife links higher zinc levels to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Genetic analysis suggests zinc regulation plays a protective metabolic role, potentially guiding new prevention and treatment strategies.
Mesenchymal stem cells reduce LDL cholesterol in Cushing’s mice
February 12, 2025 / Mesenchymal Stem Cells Therapy / LDL Cholesterol Reduction / Stem Cells / Metabolism
A study in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine found that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reduced LDL cholesterol and blood sugar in a mouse model of exogenous Cushing’s syndrome, suggesting MSCs may offer a novel metabolic therapy.
Gene editing approach sheds light on how mitochondria drive autophagy
February 13, 2025 / Mitochondria / Autophagy / Gene Editing Metabolism Research / Metabolic Diseases / Metabolic Health
A study in Autophagy used CRISPR-Cas9 to reveal how mitochondrial proteins MFN1 and MFN2 regulate autophagy, impacting metabolism and aging. Understanding these mechanisms may lead to therapies for metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and sarcopenia.
Decisive action needed on ultra-processed food products
February 16, 2025 / Ultra-processed Foods and Obesity / Diabetes Crisis / Food Policy / Public Health
India’s rising obesity and diabetes crisis is linked to ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Experts call for front-of-pack warning labels, ad bans, and health taxes to curb consumption. Prioritizing prevention over pharmaceuticals is essential for long-term public health.
Researchers Develop New Blood Test to Identify Children at Risk of Diabetes
February 16, 2024 / Lipid Blood Test / Diabetes / Childhood Obesity Screening / Diabetes Risk
Researchers at King’s College London developed a lipid-based blood test to identify children at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and liver disease. This approach could enable early intervention, improving obesity-related disease prevention and management.
Taiwan study reveals link between hepatitis B, fatty liver disease, and mortality rate
February 12, 2025 / Hepatitis D / Fatty Liver / MASLD / Mortality Disorders / Cancer Risk
A 15-year study from National Taiwan University Hospital found that hepatitis B patients with metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease (MASLD) have significantly higher mortality rates, particularly with metabolic disorders like diabetes. NAFLD alone, however, was linked to reduced mortality.
Eli Lilly and OliX partner to advance early-stage metabolic disease candidate
February 13, 2025 / Eli Lilly / MASH Treatment / OliX RNAi Treatment / Metabolic Disease Drug Development
Eli Lilly and OliX Pharmaceuticals partnered to advance OLX75016, an RNAi therapy for metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and fibrosis. The deal supports OLX75016’s Phase 1 trial, aiming to improve treatment options for metabolic and cardiometabolic diseases.
Cross-sectional study on the association between serum uric acid levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in an elderly population
February 16, 2025 / Serum Uric Acid / NAFLD / Fatty Liver Disease / Metabolic Disorders
A study of 469 elderly adults found that hyperuricemia significantly increases the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), particularly in individuals with high triglycerides. These findings highlight the need for uric acid assessments in metabolic health evaluations.
New gene switch may lead to precise treatments for metabolic diseases
February 17, 2025 / Gene Switch Diabetes Therapy / Metabolic Disease / GLp-1 Gene Regulation / Cell Therapy for Diabetes / Precision Medicine
ETH Zurich researchers developed a gene switch activated by nitroglycerine patches to regulate GLP-1 release, potentially enabling precise cell therapies for diabetes and metabolic diseases. This innovation could lead to dynamic, patient-specific treatment approaches.
Exploring the Role of Acute Exercise-Induced Myokine Release in Glucose Metabolism and Insulin Sensitivity in Healthy and Diabetic Individuals
February 14, 2025 / Exercise / Insulin Sensitivity / Myokines / Glucose Metabolism
A study found that acute moderate-intensity exercise improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in both diabetic and healthy individuals. Exercise increased IL-6 levels and decreased fractalkine, highlighting myokines’ role in metabolic health and potential diabetes management strategies.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists improve metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease outcomes
February 10, 2025 / GLP-1 Agonists / MASLD Treatment / Metabolic Liver Disease / Cardiovascular Risk / Portal Hypertension / MASLD Patients
A large cohort study found that GLP-1 receptor agonists significantly reduce cardiovascular events, portal hypertension, and mortality in MASLD patients over seven years. These findings highlight GLP-1 therapy’s potential in metabolic liver disease management.
Broccoli sprouts may help prediabetes, but only with the right gut bacteria
February 11, 2025 / Broccoli Sprouts and Diabetes / Gut Microbiota / Glucose Metabolism / Blood Sugar Control / Diabetes Prevention
A study found that broccoli sprout extract (BSE) reduced fasting glucose in prediabetic individuals, but effectiveness depended on gut microbiota composition, particularly the BT2160 gene. Personalized microbiome-based interventions could enhance metabolic outcomes and diabetes prevention strategies.
Kerendia: Bayer’s big opportunity to deliver for millions of patients, across indications
February 14, 2024 / Kerendia Heart Failure Treatment / Cardiovascular Benefits / Bayer Cardiorenal Therapy / Heart Failure
Bayer’s Kerendia (finerenone), a non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, demonstrated cardiovascular benefits in heart failure patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction (LVEF ≥40%) in a Phase III trial, marking a breakthrough in cardiorenal care.