Science has identified a compound that may be a silver bullet for treating diabetes. HPH-15 is a single protein that can both reduce blood sugar and combat fat accumulation, fighting obesity. It’s being called ‘a significant leap’ in treatment…
What it is
HPH-15 is a new protein compound developed by Japanese researchers to fight diabetes. A Kuma-moto Unversity team led by Dr. Hiroshi Tateishi and Dr. Eiichi Araki, has identified HPH-15 as a prom-ising alternative to existing medications like metformin.
Their findings were recently published published in Diabetologia, a top journal in the field of dia-betes prevention and treatment.
What they found
“HPH-15 not only improved glucose uptake in liver, muscle, and fat cells, but also significantly re-duced fat accumulation in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice,” an abstract of the study report states.
“Unlike metformin, HPH-15 exhibited additional antifibrotic properties, potentially addressing liver fibrosis and other complications often seen in diabetes patients.”
The takeaway
These results suggest that HPH-15 could redefine diabetes management by combining glucose con-trol with the prevention of obesity-related com-plications.
“This compound holds transformative potential for diabetes treatment, offering benefits beyond blood sugar regulation,” agreed Professor Mikako Fujita, from the Faculty of Life Sciences at Kuma-moto University.
My take
The International Diabetes Federation tracks diabetes around the world. At last count, the Federation reported: Approximately 537 million adults (aged 20-79 years) were living with diabetes. The organization estimates that figure will reach 643 million by 2030, and 783 million by 2043.
The American Diabetes Association estimates the annual global economic burden from diabetes will surpass (US)$2.1 trillion by 2030.
If new discoveries like HPH-15 can be approved for human use ASAP, and new prevention regimes now emerging can be popularized, huge numbers of diabetes sufferers – 3 out of 4 of whom live in low-income countries – can be relieved of their suffering. And the world can be relieved of the gargantuan cost to treat it…
~ Maggie J.