Type 2 Diabetes

August 8, 2024

Diabetes is a medical condition where the body is unable to regulate blood sugar levels, leading to high blood glucose levels. This occurs either to a lack of insulin production or the body’s inability to effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and it’s responsible for regulating the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. There are multiple types of diabetes, but in this article we will be focusing on type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a metabolic disorder where the body becomes resistant [or stops responding] to insulin and/or the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.

A recent report stated T2D was responsible for the deaths of over 100,000 Americans in 2021, marking the second consecutive year that diabetes-related fatalities reached this level.[1]. Over 29 million Americans have T2D, with an additional 80 million classified as pre-diabetic. The numbers are clear – T2D stands out as one of the most pressing healthcare issues of our time.

Managing Type 2 Diabetes

The conventional approach, which has proven ineffective, involves managing T2D with medications and the common "eat less, avoid fat, exercise more" lifestyle changes. This method only slows down the disease's progression. Additionally, many diabetes medications come with their own side effects, and the success rate for reversing diabetes through management is a mere 1% [2].

T2D can potentially be reversed through natural means—without medications or surgery—by implementing diet and lifestyle changes. One of the most researched dietary approaches for lowering A1c levels and reducing medication dependency is carbohydrate restriction [3]. While reversing diabetes might not be feasible for everyone, many can still achieve significant improvements. Even without full reversal, following these natural methods can lead to reduced A1c levels, decreased reliance on diabetes medications, and additional benefits such as:

Weight loss
Enhanced cardiovascular health and improved markers of kidney and liver function
Better control over eating habits

When it comes to managing T2D, placing an emphasis on diet, such as restricting carbohydrates, and lifestyle changes like exercise should be prioritized. However, recent research has highlighted that certain molecules can also play a significant role in managing T2D.

Cell Being: Improving Type 2 Diabetes Outcomes

Cell Being is formulated with research-backed ingredients that have shown to enhance insulin sensitivity, regulate blood sugar levels, and support overall metabolic health. It’s a synergistic blend of NMN, trans-resveratrol, and TMG - all shown to reduce the effects of age related conditions, such as T2D.

NMN
Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is considered a supplement that boosts energy metabolism, regulates glucose, and alleviates metabolic complications of aging [4].To understand how it affects glucose regulation, it's important to examine the complex interactions between NMN and different metabolic pathways. As a precursor to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), NMN appears to influence glucose metabolism by affecting insulin secretion, energy metabolism, and cellular functions [4].

A recent study highlighted the role of NMN improving glucose tolerance and reducing inflammation in adipose tissue (body fat) in mice that were fed a high-fat diet [5]. Another study in mice demonstrated that administering NMN through intraperitoneal injection mitigates the effects of obesity induced by a high-fat diet by enhancing glucose tolerance and decreasing liver fat accumulation [6].

Furthermore, in a human clinical trial, NMN enhanced muscle insulin sensitivity in postmenopausal women with prediabetes who were overweight or obese [7]. Researchers estimate that this increase in insulin sensitivity could have the same metabolic benefits as a 10% loss in body weight, even without any actual weight reduction. Remarkably, these outcomes were observed after just 10 weeks of taking 250 mg of NMN daily, indicating that significant health improvements can be achieved in a short period with moderate doses of NMN. Additionally, no side effects were reported among the study participants [7].

Resveratrol
Animal studies and human clinical trials have shown that resveratrol has significant potential to address dysregulation associated with T2D [8,9]. T2D is characterized by insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and progressive failure of pancreatic β-cells, but it is a complex condition affecting various tissues. Insulin-sensitive tissues, including skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue, are particularly impacted. Chronic high blood glucose levels contribute to dysfunction in other tissues and organs, leading to diabetic complications [10]. Recent research highlights that hormonal and metabolic changes in type 2 diabetes are closely linked to inflammatory and oxidative stress, which exacerbate the condition [11].

Resveratrol, known for its diverse effects, shows promise in diabetes management due to its complex anti-diabetic properties. Studies have demonstrated that in animal models of T2D, resveratrol treatment results in reduced blood glucose levels. Improved glycemic control is associated with decreased insulin resistance and increased glucose uptake by skeletal muscle. Additionally, resveratrol has been shown to enhance the structure and function of pancreatic β-cells [8,1 2]. The anti-diabetic effects of resveratrol are partially attributed to its anti-oxidative [13] and anti-inflammatory [14] properties.

Human studies and clinical trials have also investigated resveratrol’s potential in managing type 2 diabetes [10]. Evidence suggests that resveratrol therapy significantly lowers blood glucose levels and improves insulin action in patients [15,16,17,18,19,20]. Furthermore, resveratrol has been found to reduce inflammatory and oxidative stress in individuals with type 2 diabetes [8,1 6], and may also help diminish diabetes-related complications such as the size of diabetic ulcers [1 8].

TMG
Trimethylglycine (TMG), also known as betaine, is a naturally occurring compound with various physiological functions. Research has shown that higher plasma TMG levels are associated with a reduced risk of glycemia, insulinemia, and type 2 diabetes [21]. This suggests that TMG may offer a protective effect in regulating glucose and insulin levels. Moreover, TMG has been associated with reduced apelin gene expression in the tissues of insulin-resistant diabetic rats, suggesting its potential to alleviate insulin resistance and associated cardiovascular complications [22].

People with Type 2 diabetes are more prone to cognitive decline, including memory and processing difficulties, due to chronic high blood sugar damaging brain blood vessels. The condition also heightens the risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia, as insulin resistance and inflammation contribute to harmful brain changes. TMG has been shown to alleviate cognitive deficits in diabetic animals and improve cognitive ability in Alzheimer disease animals, highlighting its neuroprotective qualities [2 3,24].

TMG has been found to reverse insulin resistance and improve lipid metabolism in animals fed a high-fat diet, indicating its potential for treating metabolic issues like obesity and diabetes [25]. Additional studies show that it can improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and related liver insulin resistance, suggesting that it may protect the liver [26].

Cell Being: Synergistic Ingredients for Effective Type 2 Diabetes Management
Cell Being is intentionally formulated with NMN, trans-resveratrol, and TMG - ingredients that work together in managing T2D. Each of these research-backed ingredients plays a unique role in improving insulin sensitivity, regulating blood sugar, and supporting overall metabolic health. NMN enhances energy metabolism and glucose regulation, resveratrol combats insulin resistance and inflammation, and TMG provides protective effects against cognitive decline and liver complications. Together, these ingredients work synergistically to address the complexities of T2D, offering a promising option for those looking to improve their metabolic health and reduce the impact of age-related conditions.