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Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...

Glucose Transporters

Glucose Transporters

Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a blood glucose level below 70 mg/dL. It commonly occurs in individuals using insulin or insulin-secreting drugs, but may also arise in non-diabetic conditions. People with type 1 diabetes are at the highest risk because they depend on exogenous insulin. People with type 2 diabetes are also at risk, especially when treated with insulin or medications such as sulfonylureas, which increase insulin release regardless of blood glucose levels. It develops when insulin levels exceed...

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Hypoglycemia and Glucagon

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides

Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Glinides

Repaglinide (Prandin) and Nateglinide (Starlix), known as glinides, are oral insulin secretagogues that stimulate insulin release from pancreatic β cells by closing the ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP channel). Repaglinide controls insulin release from pancreatic β cells by managing potassium efflux. It shares two binding sites with sulfonylureas and also has a unique site, indicating overlapping mechanisms of action. With a rapid onset and a 4-7 hour duration, it effectively manages...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo

Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo

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Trace elements in glucometabolic disorders: an update.

Nicolas Wiernsperger¹, Jeanrobert Rapin

¹INSERM U870, INSA Lyon, 6 Bld J, Capelle, F-69621 Villeurbanne (France. nicolas.wiernsperger@free.fr.

Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome

|December 21, 2010

Summary

Trace elements like chromium and zinc are crucial for glucose homeostasis, but their therapeutic use for diabetes requires caution due to narrow safe dosage windows. Further clinical trials are needed to explore their benefits.

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Extracellular Glucose Depletion as an Indirect Measure of Glucose Uptake in Cells and Tissues Ex Vivo

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Published on: August 7, 2018

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Endocrinology
Nutritional Science

Background:

Trace elements function as essential enzyme cofactors in numerous biochemical reactions.
Glucose homeostasis and insulin regulation heavily rely on specific metabolic processes.
The roles of chromium, zinc, selenium, lithium, and vanadium in these processes are debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To review current knowledge on the roles of five specific trace elements in glucose homeostasis.
To evaluate the therapeutic potential of these trace elements in managing insulin resistance and diabetes.
To assess the safety and efficacy of trace element supplementation in metabolic disorders.

Main Methods:

Comprehensive literature survey and critical analysis of existing studies.
Examination of biochemical roles and clinical data related to trace elements.
Evaluation of evidence for therapeutic benefits and safety concerns.

Main Results:

Theoretical benefits of trace elements in diabetes therapy are not fully supported by current clinical data.
Caution is advised due to a narrow therapeutic window between safe and toxic doses for most elements.
Potential clinical interest exists for specific deficiencies and in combination with oral antidiabetics, but requires more research.

Conclusions:

The clear therapeutic benefit of chromium, zinc, selenium, lithium, and vanadium in diabetes is currently doubtful.
Clinical interest may lie in addressing individual deficiencies or in combination therapies, pending further investigation.
Well-designed clinical trials are essential to establish the efficacy and safety of these trace elements in diabetes management.