Does Green Tea Lower Blood Sugar and Increase Insulin Activity?

By >> J Peter Crane

Want to avoid metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes? It is possible to prevent both of these conditions if you take control of your eating habits and exercise. No expensive prescription drugs or complicated exercises are required. It could be as simple as drinking four cups of green tea a day and walking for 30 minutes, four or five times a week.

Metabolic syndrome is probably not on your radar screen, yet one in five people are affected in the U.S. Risk factors include extra weight around the waist, insulin resistance, aging, genes, hormone changes, and lack of exercise, which are all harbingers to both cardiovascular disease and (the focus of this article) type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is characterized by insufficient secretion or improper functioning of insulin.

A Promising New Diabetes Prevention Strategy

by >> Michael Smith, MD

The Brd2 gene is a promising new target in diabetes prevention. Researchers succeeded in preventing diabetes in high risk groups by inhibiting the expression (or activation) of the gene. Activating the gene seems to trigger sugar cravings and promote hunger, in order to meet the brain's high energy demands.

It's believed that the Brd2 gene is very active in high risk individuals. Influencing the activity of genes like Bdr2 is a promising new genetic target for diabetes prevention.

Researchers studying the gene concluded, "The strong influence of Brd2 on insulin resistance suggests that inhibiting Brd2 is a promising target for diabetes prevention and treatment."

A New Field in Diabetes Prevention

The study of nutrients that influence gene expression is a promising new field in diabetes prevention, called nutrigenomics. It's basically a natural form of gene therapy.

But unlike conventional gene therapy that chemically alters the DNA, nutrigenomics influences how a gene is expressed. Nutrients are used to turn genes on or off, depending on the desired effect. It's a safe and effective method in disease prevention and treatment.

By inhibiting the Brd2 gene, nutrigenomics succeeds where conventional treatments fail...preventing sugar spikes, improving fasting glucose levels, and restoring insulin sensitivity.