Micronutrients & recovery
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) improve insulin sensitivity primarily by reducing intramyocellular lipids and diacylglycerol, thereby reducing PKC activation, rather than directly enhancing insulin signaling pathways like PI3K/Akt in all patients.
TZDs (like rosiglitazone) help manage type 2 diabetes by improving how muscles handle glucose. While they may enhance insulin signaling in some cases, their primary benefit likely comes from reducing fat accumulation in muscles (specifically diacylglycerol), which removes a block on insulin signaling. This makes them effective even when direct signaling enhancement is not observed.
This raises the possibility that decreases in plasma lipid concentrations with TZD treatment could lead to a reduction of diacylglycerol in muscle, reducing PKC activation, resulting in an improvement of the insulin signaling cascade.
Why this rating
The paper highlights conflicting human data regarding direct signaling enhancement, relying on mechanistic hypotheses about lipid reduction.
Source
Molecular Mechanism of Insulin Resistance in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Kang‐Duk Choi et al. · The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine · 2010
DOI 10.3904/kjim.2010.25.2.119
More from this paper
- Obesity and type 2 diabetes are characterized by impaired insulin-stimulated PI3K activity and downstream signaling (specifically AS160 phosphorylation and PKCλ/ζ activation) in skeletal muscle, leading to defective GLUT4 translocation and insulin resistance.Good
- Lifestyle interventions, specifically very low calorie diets (VLCD) leading to significant weight loss, can reverse defects in insulin signaling (PI3K, AS160, PKCλ/ζ) and improve insulin sensitivity in obese nondiabetic individuals.Good
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →