Does the Glucose-Dependent Insulin Secretion Mechanism Itself Cause Oxidative Stress in Pancreatic beta-Cells? This is not a new concept, the but idea is very disconcerting. Basically, certain diabetic medications (insulin secretagogues like glucophage) may actually promote the diabetes in the long run. Basically, the process of forcing the beta cells of the pancreas to produce more insulin causes oxidative stress. And, as noted before, to much oxidative stress can lead to apoptosis.
Apoptosis of the beta cells of the pancreas lowers the body’s ability to produce insulin at all. Just to make the story more bleaker, consider this–there is no longer any question that oxidative stress can lower insulin production in the first place. Quite a viscous circle.
Like I mentioned, this information is not new, but the evidence continues to be ignored. This again points to the fact that the ONLY way to safely manage diabetes is through agressive lifestyle changes. Diabetes — Abstracts: Fridlyand and Philipson 53 (8): 1942 –
