Research

Hormonal

Elevated plasma levels of specific ceramide subspecies (C18:0, C20:0, C24:1, C24:0) are associated with increased severity of insulin resistance in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your body's fat metabolism produces specific lipids (ceramides) that interfere with how your cells respond to insulin. Higher levels of these lipids in your blood are linked to worse insulin resistance. While this paper doesn't prescribe a treatment, it highlights that managing lipid metabolism and inflammation is key to improving insulin sensitivity.

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Insulin sensitivity (mg · kg−1 · min−1) was inversely correlated with C18:0 (−0.58, P < 0.003), C20:0 (−0.52, P < 0.008), C24:1 (−0.51, P < 0.009), C24:0 (−0.49, P < 0.01), and total ceramide (−0.58, P < 0.003) concentrations.
Jacob M. Haus et al. · Diabetes · 2008

Why this rating

Observational study with rigorous measurement (hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp) but limited sample size (n=27) and cross-sectional design.

Source

Plasma Ceramides Are Elevated in Obese Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes and Correlate With the Severity of Insulin Resistance

Jacob M. Haus et al. · Diabetes · 2008

DOI 10.2337/db08-1228

cross_sectional · n=27Cited 667×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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