Circadian Rhythms Tied to the Development of Diabetes

University of California in San Diego (UCSD) experts announce the discovery of a new chemical, which they say could be used to develop novel therapies against a wide array of conditions defines as threats to public health, including type II diabetes.

The team believes that the substance will open up a new avenue of research in addressing this fast-spreading disease. The situation is especially critical, where the obesity epidemic is putting millions at increased risk of developing type II diabetes.

Details of the substance were published in the July 13 advance online issue of the top journal Science. One of the most interesting aspects of the research is that the chemical the team found does not act on bloodstream glucose levels, but rather on a protein that regulates our body's innate internal clock.

Basically, what this research amounts to is discovering the first documented link between the human circadian rhythm and the development of diabetes, Science Blog reports.