Electromagnet remote control controls blood sugar, fights diabetes
Scientists are inventing new and convenient ways to manage common diseases such as diabetes – type 2 diabetes, in particular, requires regular monitoring and insulin injections to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Recently, a research group at the University of Iowa (UI), US, has built a unique “remote control” for diabetes management that uses electromagnetic fields (EMFs) to reduce blood sugar levels and improve insulin response.
Diabetic mice surprisingly showed normal blood sugar levels after exposure to EMFs which prompted the group to study the biological effects of EMFs further. EMFs come from all kinds of sources, including mobile devices, telecommunications infrastructure, and the Earth itself.
“EMFs may interact with specific molecules,” said UI postdoctoral student Calvin Carter. “There are molecules in our bodies that are thought to act like tiny magnetic antenna, enabling a biological response to EMFs.”
This molecule – known to play a role in type 2 diabetes – is called superoxide. The signaling of the superoxide molecules in the liver appeared to be altered in three different types of mouse models upon exposure to EMFs. The altered superoxides rebalanced the oxidants and antioxidants in the liver in a way that improved the animals’ response to insulin and lowered their blood sugar.
“Exposure to EMFs for relatively short periods reduces blood sugar and normalises the body’s response to insulin. The effects are long-lasting, opening the possibility of an EMF therapy that can be applied during sleep to manage diabetes all day.”
The group has since created a remote control prototype using EMFs and tried it out on human liver cells. After six hours of treatment with the EMFs, there was a significant improvement in a surrogate marker for insulin sensitivity, a promising sign that the therapy could produce the same effects in human subjects.
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
