Could bones be a diabetes trigger?

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | July 27th, 2010

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics worldwide. Millions of people are diagnosed as diabetic each year with type 2 adult-onset diabetes being the most prominent. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a lack of insulin as the body stops producing insulin or fails to respond to insulin. Non-insulin dependent diabetes affects 90% of diabetics and has largely been linked to poor diet as obesity is the number one cause of type 2 diabetes. Researchers at Columbia University believe bone density may also play a role in the regulation of blood sugar and the onset of insulin dependent diabetes.

Bones naturally degrade and reproduce throughout a lifetime. As the old bone breaks down to make room for the new bone growth, the hormone osteocalcin is released.

The research findings show that osteocalcin plays a key role in regulating blood glucose - the hormone encourages the production of insulin which allows the body to control the levels of sugar in the blood. A lack of osteocalcin therefore could be linked to the development of diabetes.

The research suggests that patients treated for the bone weakening disease osteoperosis could be at higher risk of diabetes as the drugs prescribed to treat osteoperosis strengthen bone, preventing the natural breakdown of bones and elevating glucose levels.

Doctors involved in the research stress that the research is in the early stages and more study is needed before decisive statements can be made regarding a link between osteocalcin and diabetes.

Latest Health News