The Two D(s)- Diabetes & Dysbiosis

What causes type 2 diabetes? You might be thinking this is no brainer-Overweight, obesity, insulin resistance! However, you may be shocked to learn that your gut microbiome has a major role to play in diabetes. The rate of people attracting diabetes is increasing with 422 million people worldwide suffering. Situation around 4 decades ago was entirely different when very few people were suffering from this dreaded disease. This was a rare genetic disorder with no reasonable cause that could impact a person’s ability to manage weight. It was also referred to as sugar disease. It was named diabetes mellitus, generally referred to as a high level of sugar in a person’s urine. You must be thinking how exactly sugar lands up in a person’s urine. It has a lot to do with our Pancreas. When we consume food, it goes through our digestive system to be broken down into carbs(sugar), fats & protein( later on into amino acids). Once done, our body pumps nutrients through the bloodstream to various tissues in our body for energy production. 

When you consume a sandwich, Biryani or Pasta, your digestive systems take those carbs & convert them into glucose. Once these foods are completely digested, the converted glucose is pumped into your system for generating energy. Now, Pancreas secrete insulin that transport this energy to different tissues. Pancreas have a wider role that we can think of. Most of us think of Pancreatic juices are used to break down nutrients during digestion. Pancreas also control two opposing functions for glucose homeostasis. Pancreas contains several types of cells including alpha & beta cells. The beta cells of pancreas secrete insulin to tell cells that it is time to absorb glucose for energy. On the other hand alpha cells secretes hormone glucagon which is used to tell the liver to release stored glucose in your blood since your body needs energy( specifically true in case of fasting). These two hormones make sure that your blood sugar level is stable all day long.

So here comes the important part! People suffering from type 1 diabetes do not have healthy beta cells in their pancreas (that secretes insulin). Without insulin, there is no communication to cells & glucose never gets absorbed which raises our blood sugar level (glucose stays in our blood for a long period of time) leading to hyperglycemia. It is then left to Kidneys to remove excess glucose molecules from our blood to urine. Without access to glucose driven energy, our cells get starved & resort to other nutrients for energy which can be met by consuming fatty & protein rich foods. Folks suffering from type 1 diabetes, need to have regular shots of insulin to regulate glucose. However, in today’ world 95% of people suffering from diabetes are due to type 2 diabetes- a disorder attributed to insulin resistance( not genetic). Their pancreas contains healthy beta cells properly secreting insulin in response to meal timings, however the message to cells somehow is lost. The surrounding cells also do not connect well with insulin, resulting in a higher level of blood glucose. In fact, type 2 diabetes is correlated with high BMI. Individuals suffering from metabolic disorders such as obesity often experience chronic inflammation & high circulating levels of triglycerides which impacts communication with insulin. 

So does that mean our gut has a lot to do with our exposure to diabetes given that type 2 diabetes often results in metabolic disorders? We are going to discuss this today.

Theory behind Two D(s)

Change in our gut flora can have a profound impact on our body. Gut microbiomes communicate with every organ of our body including brains, hormones can impact our metabolism & lead to inflammation. These bacteria & micro-organisms that feed on fibres carries our different activities that impact our energy production( coordinates with mitochondria), impacts our immune system & helps us fight pathogens to prevent illness. In fact there is a deep rooted relationship between gut dysbiosis & type 2 diabetes. Several bacterial populations can impact our glycemic control & regulate our blood sugar. When dysbiosis negatively impacts these bacterial colonies, it can contribute to insulin resistance. Besides, dysbiosis can lead to leaky gut syndrome, compromising your gut lining. Microbes can then pass into our bloodstream causing inflammatory reactions. When bacterias stay in your gut, they secrete compounds which can promote healthy digestion & gut lining. Even healthy bacteria/microbes in the gut get into wrong crevices, they actually harm the cells & cause death of beta cells, resulting in type 1 diabetes. 

Number of research papers do reflect a close relationship between these two D(s).

Our digestive tract is closely associated with our immune system. GALT- gut associated lymphoid tissue  stores around 70 % of immune cells. We have discussed in our earlier blog how our gut microbiome impacts our immune system. If our gut goes out of balance( dysbiosis), our body becomes a thriving ground for pathogens & harmful microbes. Gut dysbiosis can result in pro-inflammatory response & augment secretion of endotoxins from gut microbes which can lead to leaky gut syndrome. These toxins stimulate inflammatory molecules & reaction. Besides, when microbes cross the boundary of the gut lining & enters the bloodstream, it leads to inflammatory reactions. These all actions together result in insulin resistance.

Gut dysbiosis is a common problem in case of diabetes. Improving your gut bacterial composition & diversity helps in managing diabetes. Our gut microbiome interacts with so many functions of our body from the immune system to our brain. In fact, gut is considered to be our second brain. 

Evaluating the interaction between our nutrition, gut microbiome & diabetes can help us overcome risk of lifestyle diseases. To unlock & decode your gut microbiome composition, sign up for our health intelligence services here.