Researchers Discover Psychological "Trick" To Change Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetics
In this study, participants visited the laboratory on two separate occasions, apparently to drink and assess a zero-sugar and high-sugar drink developed to help individuals manage diabetes.
An interesting experiment by the Harvard University researchers recently found that perceived intake of sugar impacts glucose levels in people with Type 2 diabetes compared to the actual sugar intake, at least momentarily.
Psychologists Chanmo Park, Francesco Pagnini, and Ellen Langer's published their study findings in the Scientific Reports journal's recent issue.
The experts studied 30 individuals who have Type 2 diabetes to participate in a "Beverage Tasting Study for Diabetes" that explored the impacts of specially formulated drinks on the reaction of the body and its cognitive functioning.
According to a report from an online science news site, participants visited the laboratory on two separate occasions with a three-day difference, apparently drinking and assessing a zero-sugar and high-sugar drink developed to help individuals manage diabetes. However, the scientists say, "This was a trick."
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The Trick
In reality, the two drinks were just the same-a drink, with about 15 grams of sugar. Respondents were told the beverages were different, and they were shown nutrition facts to complete the trick.
After the participants consumed the beverages, a different one on each of the three-day difference, the study authors observed their blood sugar levels with an interval of 20 minutes over the next hour.
As a result, the researchers found that respondents who thought they were consuming the high-sugar variant had considerably high blood glucose levels during the monitoring period than those who thought they drank the low-sugar variant.
The authors said these results challenge the conventional supposition that "biological and physiological metabolic homeostasis processes" need adequate insulin to enable glucose to go back to its normal ranges.
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The Trick, Unable to Treat Type 2 Diabetes
The study authors warned that this type of psychological trick could not treat Type 2 diabetes alone. Meaning, the researchers explained, a person with diabetes cannot, on a long-term basis, "Trick himself out of diabetes."
The psychologists said the study does not specify if psychological impacts have long-term efficiency. Additionally, their results instead propose that "psychological processes maybe," at least momentarily, be able to stimulate "biochemical processes in diabetic metabolism."
On a more comprehensive level, the study authors said that the findings back the psychobiological model of chronic illness, proposing that psychological intervention can impact biological procedures to treat some chronic diseases.
The main objective here, the researchers concluded, is to search for more effective treatments for the millions of people with diabetes who have resigned to their feeling of helplessness in combating this uncontrollable biological processes resulting in illness, probably by acknowledging that "the mind has a meaningful control in regulating health."
Psychological Impact on Diabetic Metabolism
A World Health Organization report indicates that diabetes rates have nearly quadrupled worldwide over the last 30 years, making diabetes one of the most important international public health problems that cause approximately 1.6 million fatalities in 2015 and cost roughly $285 billion worldwide.
Consequently, 90 percent of diagnosed diabetes incidents are type 2 in which there is a failure by the body to produce adequate insulin or properly use it.
The WHO also said, diabetes has both short- and long-term complications, including strokes, kidney disease, vision problems, and neuropathies.
While the condition is generally approached, following the prevailing biomedical model, some evidence has been observed that "psychological aspects play a role in its psychological processes."
For instance, stress has continuously been linked to higher blood sugar levels among diabetics and non-diabetics. More so, depression and psychological comorbidity can impact diabetic physiology, as well.
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Sep 28, 2020 07:20 AM EDT
