FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Four factors shown to predict long COVID
There are four PASC (‘long COVID’)-anticipating biological factors that can be measured as early as at initial COVID-19 diagnosis, including pre-existing type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, EBV viremia, and autoantibodies from patients’ blood. These can help guide the prevention and treatment of long COVID.
Skipping breakfast worsens blood glucose and insulin later
Skipping breakfast worsens blood glucose and impairs the insulin response for the rest of the day.
Insulin resistance indicated by neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio
We recommend that the NLR values of diabetic patients be calculated as NLR is a cheap, predictive, and prognostic marker for IR. High NLR values were independently related to IR.
Stroke risk reduced by magnesium
Stroke risk is reduced by higher plasma magnesium levels according to data from 32,826 women in the Nurses’ Health Study presented in a paper just published in the journal Stroke.
Nuts reduce inflammation and all-cause mortality
In the absence of allergy, the evidence supports the consumption of nuts as wholesome foods with anti-inflammatory and metabolic benefits, exactly what paleo diets intend to accomplish.
Type 2 diabetes risk associated with high normal serum calcium
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by impaired insulin action, is linked to elevated serum calcium according to a study just published in the journal Diabetes Care.
Thyroid in heart, metabolism, brain, kidney; vital importance of T3
Thyroid disorders have widespread impact and although subclinical hypothyroidism and low triiodothyronine (T3) syndrome are common they are frequently overlooked in practice.
Type 2 diabetes - autoimmune aspects
Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) causation is not restricted to metabolic factors but can include loss of immune tolerance for components of the glucose and insulin regulating systems. A paper published recently in the journal Gerontology reminds that interventions that ameliorate autoimmune inflammation can help to lower blood sugar.
Metabolic health status and aging determined by inflammation, not weight
Metabolic health is not reliably determined by weight or BMI (body mass index). Lean individuals can suffer from cardiovascular and other diseases involving metabolism, and evidence has been mounting that supports the notion of a subtype of obesity that is metabolically healthy. Inflammation can determine metabolic health in both obese and non-obese populations.
Sitting the rest of the day wipes out the benefit of an hour of vigorous exercise
Adding to the evidence demonstrating the marked metabolic impairment caused by sitting most of the day (and the benefit of sit-stand desks), research recently published in PLoS One (Public Library of Science) shows that the benefit of a full hour of exercise is wiped out by sitting the rest of the day...One hour of daily physical exercise cannot compensate for the negative effects of inactivity on insulin sensitivity and plasma lipids if the rest of the day is spent sitting. Reducing inactivity by low intensity activities such as walking at a leisurely pace and standing is more effective than physical exercise in improving these parameters in sedentary subjects. Our study suggests that in addition to health interventions that stress the importance of spending enough energy to maintain a neutral energy balance, a minimal daily amount of non-sitting time should also be promoted.
Study associates iodine deficiency with type 2 diabetes
Astute clinicians are cautious with iodine supplementation due to the risk for triggering latent thyroid autoimmunity, but a study just published in the journal Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes is a reminder to remain vigilant about the potential need for iodine when managing type 2 diabetes.
Lipid accumulation product is a useful index for detecting insulin resistance
Lipid accumulation product is a useful index for detecting insulin resistance
Sweetened drinks cause muscles to prefer burning sugar to fat
Sweetened drinks cause muscles to prefer burning sugar to fat
Inflammation caused by allergy promotes weight gain and obesity
Inflammation caused by allergy promotes weight gain and obesity
As insulin goes up so does the danger of arterial plaques
As insulin goes up so does the danger of arterial plaques