New research reveals that a common form of herpes virus may raise your chance of acquiring type 2 diabetes.
Over 4,9 million people in the United Kingdom have type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels.
Because it is closely linked to obesity, an additional 13,6 million people are at risk of developing it.
Now, researchers from Ludwig Maximilian University and Helmholtz Munich in Germany have discovered that the herpes virus can contribute to the onset of the illness.
Previous research had revealed that certain viruses, like rubella and hepatitis C, are connected with type 1 diabetes (an autoimmune disease not linked to obesity).
Researchers recruited over 1,200 adults with normal blood sugar levels for their most recent study. Participants were screened for eight known herpes viruses, including herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV1 and HSV2, which cause cold sores and genital herpes, respectively), varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox and shingles), the Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus (which is widespread and usually symptom-less but can cause flu-like symptoms).
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was extremely prevalent, with 46% of subjects testing positive for antibodies, indicating a previous infection, whereas 11% tested positive for HSV2. Most also showed antibodies to many herpes virus types.
364 study participants acquired prediabetes after seven years; those who tested positive for HSV2 at the beginning were 59% more likely to develop prediabetes or diabetes than those without evidence of previous herpes infection.
According to the journal Diabetologia, those infected with CMV were 33 percent more likely to acquire prediabetes or diabetes. The researchers discovered no connection between type 2 and the herpes viruses that cause chickenpox, cold sores, and shingles.
Dr. Tim Woelfle, a neurology reader, and the study’s lead author told Good Health, “I believe this is the first time research has focused on how herpes virus may promote (pre)diabetes leading to type 2 diabetes.
Our research is interesting since we determined beforehand whether or not our subjects had antibodies to several types of herpes viruses.
‘Many people are unaware that they have been infected with one or more [forms] of the herpes virus, even though it is quite prevalent. And while our analysis indicated that prediabetes incidence was mostly explained by age, BMI, cholesterol, and fasting glucose, HSV2 and CMV increased the risk.’
Previous research has revealed that certain viruses may diminish the number of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas or may inhibit proteins that regulate how cells metabolize sugar into energy, which may explain how infection may be associated with type 2 diabetes.
It is unknown, according to the researchers, whether preventing herpes virus infections could lessen diabetes risk.
Dr. Woelfle stated, “These results underscore the link between viruses and (pre)diabetes and the necessity for more study examining public health viral preventive techniques, maybe including the development of effective vaccinations against herpes viruses.
Dr. Faye Riley, research communications manager at Diabetes UK, commented on the study as follows: ‘This study raises intriguing concerns about how viral infection may influence the risk of type 2 diabetes.
‘However, despite these findings, the overall study picture is ambiguous, and it is far too early to determine whether or to what extent herpes viruses are significant.
The greatest strategy to lower your risk at this time is to consume a healthy, balanced diet and engage in frequent physical activity.
According to Dr. Adnan Sharif, a consultant nephrologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, the notion that certain viruses may contribute to type 2 diabetes is ‘interesting’
Regarding the boundary between type 2 diabetes and the herpes virus, the new research represents a significant advance in our understanding, as he explains.
