What is the study about?

A report published in the journal Diabetes, outline as to how senior author John March and colleagues from Cornell could successfully lower glucose levels in diabetic rats using a common bacteria found in the human gut. Diabetes occurs due to poor insulin response, thus causing a sudden spike in blood glucose levels, called hyperglycemia that leads to heart disease, stroke, and nerve damage. But they are confident about being closer to getting a cure.

A strain of friendly human gut bacteria called Lactobacillus was engineered, which oozes Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) - a hormone that releases insulin in response to food. As a probiotic, it is used for irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, Crohn’s disease and a few skin disorders.

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