A new analysis of data published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows people with higher levels of the protein hormone adiponectin have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Adiponectin, a protein secreted by fat cells, regulates metabolism of lipids and glucose and may have anti-inflammatory properties. It also causes the body to be more sensitive to insulin.
According to researchers, the higher the level of adiponectin found in the blood, the lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, regardless of body mass index, race, or gender.
The researchers, who analyzed data from 13 international studies on diabetes status and adiponectin levels, say that targeting people with low levels of adiponectin could help curb the world-wide diabetes epidemic.
Jessica Apple
Jessica Apple is the co-creator and editor of the online magazine, A Sweet Life, www.asweetlife.org. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Financial Times Magazine, The Southern Review, the Bellevue Literary Review, Tablet Magazine, and elsewhere. She ...
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