Treatment

Diabetes drugs may be changing cancer in surprising ways – new findings show that medications commonly used in type 2 diabetes not only impact glucose and weight control but might also influence cancer risk. Researchers are examining how these therapies might either reduce or inadvertently affect risks for multiple cancer types (e.g., liver, colorectal, breast), pointing to mechanisms beyond traditional metabolic control.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251226045322.htm

Understand how GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide work - and how to eat, exercise, and stay healthy while using them.

✅ Tips for meal planning, protein intake, and hydration

🏋️‍♀️ Exercise strategies to preserve lean muscle

⚖️ Guidance on avoiding side effects and maintaining results

Explore this and other trusted patient resources at the T2D Network

🔗 Read more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine

A new study in Cell Metabolism has found that a natural compound made by gut bacteria - called D-lactate - may play an important role in controlling blood sugar and reducing fatty liver disease.

Researchers discovered that when D-lactate builds up in the bloodstream, it can help the body manage glucose levels and fat metabolism more effectively. In animal studies, adjusting D-lactate activity improved both blood sugar control and liver health, especially in obesity-related conditions.

This breakthrough points to the gut microbiome as a powerful new target for preventing and managing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

News article: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250730/Canadian-scientists-trap-gut-microbe-fuel-to-improve-blood-sugar-and-liver-health.aspx

Original research: https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(25)00328-6?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1550413125003286%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

You may have seen the recent news about CRISPR-edited pancreas cells helping someone with type 1 diabetes produce insulin without needing immune-suppressing drugs. Pretty exciting stuff!

While this is focused on type 1 diabetes, there’s potential for type 2 diabetes too. Researchers are looking at ways to use gene editing to fix genes linked to insulin production problems, like the PAX5 gene, which can affect how your pancreas secretes insulin.

There are also experimental therapies in development using CRISPR-edited stem cells to replace or support beta cells. The hope is that in the future, people with type 2 diabetes might have long-term ways to improve insulin production, beyond diet, exercise, and medication.

It’s still early days, but it’s a good example of how advances in one area of diabetes research can eventually impact others.