Melatonin's Influence on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)
- Sharad Jaiswal
- Jul 17, 2024
- 8 min read
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that affects a significant portion of the world's population. The primary symptoms of this illness include high blood sugar, which is mostly caused by cells that are not responding to insulin well enough and by the pancreas secreting insufficient amounts of insulin. This talk conducts a careful scientific investigation of type 2 diabetes, explaining its etiological basis, implications for physiological health, and treatments based on evidence for prevention and treatment.
Why People Get Type 2 Diabetes
A number of diverse and frequently linked factors support the origin of type 2 diabetes:
Insulin Resistance: One important aspect is insulin resistance, which refers to the reduced effectiveness of cellular reactions to insulin. This results in an increased need for the pancreas to produce more insulin, maintaining normoglycemia.
Genetic Factors: A person's vulnerability to type 2 diabetes is mostly influenced by their genetic makeup. Certain genetic variants can impair insulin production and predispose people to insulin resistance.
Lifestyle Dynamics: Poor food choices and sedentary behavior patterns stand out as major causes of type 2 diabetes. Overeating contributes to obesity and the development of insulin resistance because it consumes too many calories, particularly from sources high in sugar and fat.
Obesity: There is a strong correlation between substantial body adiposity and type 2 diabetes, especially in the abdominal area. Insulin action is hampered by pro-inflammatory chemicals released by adipose tissue.
Metabolic Syndrome: Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with metabolic syndrome, which is a group of disorders that includes high blood pressure, dysregulated lipid profiles, and abdominal obesity.
Preventive Measures for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
In order to reduce the chance that Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) will develop, preventive steps are essential. Strategies that are supported by science cover a wide range of aspects of healthy living and lifestyle adjustments. The evidence-based preventive strategies for type 2 diabetes are explained below.
Consistent Physical Exercise:
· Regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity, controls blood sugar, and aids in maintaining a healthy body weight.
· Include weight training and aerobic workouts (such as running or brisk walking) in a weekly regimen, following predetermined criteria for frequency and intensity.
Healthy Eating Habits:
· Dietary decisions have a significant impact on the risk of type 2 diabetes, with a balanced diet supporting both weight control and metabolic health.
· Reduce your intake of processed foods, refined sugars, and saturated fats and increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Consumption of calories should correspond to your energy needs.
Maintaining Weight:
· Keeping a healthy body weight is essential for metabolic health because obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
· Make lifestyle adjustments that will aid in weight loss or stop excessive weight gain. This involves controlling portion sizes, and calorie intake, and getting frequent exercise.
Keeping an eye on blood glucose levels:
· Frequent blood glucose monitoring makes it easier to identify abnormal numbers early and to take appropriate action.
· It is advised that those who are at risk for type 2 diabetes, such as those with a family history of the disease or those who experienced gestational diabetes, have regular blood glucose tests. Changes in lifestyle and proactive management are made possible by this.
Encouragement of Healthful Living Practices:
· Promoting general health-conscious behaviors helps prevent type 2 diabetes by addressing a number of risk factors.
· Encourage the giving up of smoking, drinking in moderation, and getting enough sleep. These lifestyle choices affect metabolic health and serve as a supplement to other preventative strategies.
Tailored Strategies Considering Risk Factors:
· Preventive measures are most effective when they are adapted to certain risk factors.
· The recommendation is to use tailored therapies to identify and manage specific risk factors, such as genetic susceptibility or a history of gestational diabetes. This could entail more stringent monitoring, tailored exercise programs, and particular food programs.
Health Awareness and Education:
· Increasing awareness of T2DM risk factors and protective strategies encourages well-informed decision-making.
· It is advised to carry out educational programs to increase public knowledge of type 2 diabetes (T2DM), with a focus on the value of early intervention, a healthy lifestyle, and routine checkups.
Melatonin and its Health Benefits
Beer, a low-alcohol fermented beverage made from fermented cereals, has gained popularity due to its high melatonin concentration and possible health advantages. Melatonin, also known as N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a chemical with a variety of functions, such as cytoprotective, immunomodulatory, oncostatic, and antioxidative actions.
Based on an extensive search of MEDLINE/PubMed spanning from 1975 to April 2022, as well as the authors' personal experience and pertinent research on melatonin, the immune system, and beer, this review explores the processes involved in the production of melatonin in beer, its levels, and possible health effects. Beer's melatonin is thought to be a protective substance that may improve life expectancy, especially when ingested in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
This scientific investigation highlights the possibility that moderate beer drinking could have antioxidant, defence, and inflammatory homeostasis-regulating benefits because of its melatonin concentration. This could potentially mitigate certain diseases. Beer's other ingredients, including polyphenols (including xanthohumol), the vitamin B complex, citric acid, ascorbic acid, and silicic acid, all contribute to cellular defence and health-promoting benefits, even though melatonin plays a crucial role.
The study indicates that moderate beer consumption, with its melatonin content, may act as a protective factor against various disorders such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and constipation. However, caution is necessary when recommending beer as a therapeutic agent for specific diseases. This is consistent with the increasing awareness of the health benefits of melatonin and the role that nutritional therapy plays in promoting favorable health outcomes without causing negative side effects. The results suggest that beer consumption should be carefully considered, with a focus on moderation, and that melatonin may be a crucial component in enabling potential health benefits [1].
Role of Melatonin in Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
It is the ongoing problem that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity pose to worldwide public health. It also emphasizes how important the melatonergic system is in controlling glucose homeostasis and determining the risk of T2DM, especially the melatonin MT2 receptor, which is encoded by the MTNR1B gene. The MTNR1B locus, specifically the rs10830963 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), has been linked to elevated fasting plasma glucose levels, impaired insulin secretion, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes mellitus. These findings are the result of nine years' worth of genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
The study highlights how crucial it is to determine if melatonin, a crucial component of the melatonergic system, influences glucose homeostasis in a positive or negative way. Following GWAS, preclinical and clinical data have identified common and uncommon polymorphisms in the MTNR1B gene, demonstrating its significance in controlling glucose homeostasis and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Notably, a higher risk of type 2 diabetes is linked to uncommon MT2 receptor polymorphisms linked to loss of function, specifically with regard to melatonin-induced signaling pathways.
The phenotypes of the carriers of the rs10830963 risk allele are unique and include increased expression of MTNR1B mRNA, changes in melatonin secretion, and possible consequences associated with the enhancer activity of the region surrounding the rs10830963 SNP. Although obesity does not seem to be directly linked to this SNP in adults, it might affect fetal birth.
Scientists are emphasizing on the melatonin receptors' potential for therapeutic use, considering that they belong to the highly druggable G protein-coupled receptor superfamily. Since melatonin is commonly used by millions of people, either as a prescription drug or as a non-prescription supplement, it is imperative to determine how melatonin affects glucose homeostasis. For bearers of the rs10830963 risk allele, lifestyle suggestions are beginning to emerge. Additional clinical data is needed to assess the recommendation of melatonin for T2DM patients. All things considered, the paper underscores the urgent need to clarify the specific function of melatonin and its receptors in glucose homeostasis and stresses the possible management implications for type 2 diabetes [2].
Preclinical and Clinical Trials
Studies on humans and animals have shown that melatonin has a beneficial effect on blood glucose regulation. Animals that have had their pineal glands removed show signs of insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which can be treated with melatonin. These symptoms are caused by decreased expression of the glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) gene. Dental pulp tissue from people with type 2 diabetes had lower melatonin levels. In hyperglycemic human dental pulp cells, pharmacological doses of melatonin increase the activity of iNOS and SOD, suggesting that melatonin provides protection against hyperglycemia. Insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis are improved in diabetic rats more efficiently by a combination of insulin and melatonin treatment than by either medication alone.
In patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis, the study examines the effects of scaling and root planning (SRP) in conjunction with systemic melatonin medication on periodontal metrics and glycemic management. 54 participants were randomized to receive either SRP with melatonin or SRP with a placebo during the 8-week intervention. When compared to the control group, melatonin administration shows a substantial improvement in periodontal metrics such as bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment loss. Furthermore, the melatonin group shows a significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, suggesting better glycemic control. The study highlights melatonin's potential involvement in an integrative therapy approach by indicating that it may provide extra benefits for people with diabetes and periodontitis. It is advised to conduct more research to examine the long-term impacts and different ways to consume melatonin [3].
Diabetes reduces melatonin production, which affects testosterone production. Rats with diabetes-induced testosterone loss respond better to melatonin treatment because it increases Leydig cell glucose metabolism and induces acetate synthesis. Individuals with type 2 diabetes have reduced melatonin production at night. In healthy women, a single melatonin dose lowers glucose tolerance; however, glycemic control can be improved with long-term treatment over several months, especially at higher doses. Melatonin combined with metformin improves tissue responsiveness in patients with poorly managed type 2 diabetes. Melatonin supplementation reduces inflammation and insulin sensitivity in obese people with Acanthosis Nigricans.
By neutralizing reactive oxygen species, melatonin's anti-oxidative activity efficiently reduces oxidative stress, which is linked to difficulties with diabetes. It also shields pancreatic beta cells that have low antioxidant content. Melatonin may improve glycemic control by enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing fasting glucose, according to a systematic study. Overall, melatonin shows promise as a therapeutic benefit in the management of diabetes, providing a multimodal strategy that includes antioxidant protection, insulin sensitivity, and glucose control [4].
The potential of melatonin as a therapeutic agent for the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D) and its consequences is discussed in the article. Genomic studies have linked uncommon mutations in the melatonin receptor 1b (MTNR1B) to decreased glucose tolerance and increased risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Melatonin is a hormone with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory characteristics that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of T2D. Melatonin has been shown to have beneficial effects in reducing the difficulties associated with diabetes through preclinical research using cell lines and animal models as well as clinical trials with diabetic patients.
Melatonin can reduce the number of T2D-related characteristics, including inflammation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic dysregulation. Nonetheless, conflicting data about melatonin supplementation demands a careful investigation of its possible application for managing diabetes from bench to bedside. Melatonin has been shown in preclinical research to have favorable effects in a variety of models of diabetes problems, with no discernible negative effects. Metabolic markers in T2D patients' clinical trials yield inconsistent findings. Insulin sensitivity is reportedly increased, and glycolipid metabolism is regulated by melatonin therapy. It is suggested that low melatonin during food intake favors glucose tolerance when the timing of melatonin administration is emphasized in relation to food intake [5].
Melatonin has been shown in multiple in vitro and in vivo studies to provide a number of health benefits when used in conjunction with type 2 diabetes. These include the manipulation of intracellular signaling pathways and other pertinent targets implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, across a range of human cancers, melatonin exhibits multi-targeted anticancer effects via modifying signal transduction pathways linked to cell survival, proliferation, and death. The review highlights how melatonin may work in concert with radiation and chemotherapy to treat cancer. Crucially, there have been no negative effects from the clinical usage of melatonin, highlighting its therapeutic value whether used either alone or in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments [6].
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