Disturbance of diurnal and nocturnal rhythm harmful to blood glucose

Research conducted by Maastricht scientists has clearly shown that a disturbed daytime and nocturnal rhythm contributes significantly to lower insulin sensitivity.

A reversal of the daily and nocturnal rhythm, for example by shift work, ensures a disturbed balance of sugar in the blood. Scientists from the University of Maastricht / Maastricht UMC + have demonstrated for the first time in humans. Their research has shown that a disturbance of the body clock results in a decrease in insulin sensitivity, an important indication of the development of type 2 diabetes. The findings of the team of Maastricht research, led by Professor Patrick Schrauwen, have been published. Professor Schrauwen and his team are integrating with one of the most pressing issues of the National Science Agenda: what are the effects of the advent of science? – economy on people's health? This is not just about the traditional night work of nurses or police officers, for example. Nowadays, people are everywhere and always online, so they are activated throughout the day. People travel much more often than before between different time zones. A well-known unhealthy side effect is that people start to sleep worse.

In addition, disturbances in eating habits, obesity and the risk of developing cancer have already been linked to the increasing intrusion of a natural sleep-wake cycle. According to research published by scientists from Maastricht, it has now become clear that a disturbed rhythm of the day and night also plays a vital role in reducing insulin sensitivity. The decrease in insulin sensitivity is an important indication of the development of type 2 diabetes.

Respiratory chambers
For their research, scientists closed 14 subjects every three consecutive days in the five chambers breathing specials of the University of Maastricht. In these climatic chambers the subjects could not have contact with the outside world, there was no indication of the time, only artificial light and Netflix were available. They were fed up with food and drinks via an airlock.

After the first "normal" night, the researchers arranged to reverse the daytime and nighttime rhythm in the middle of the afternoon by letting the subjects sleep a few hours after lunch. In the evening, they were then woken up for breakfast and followed a new full day. In the morning, then, dinner followed. This reversal day / night was then repeated, after which various measures took place.

"With this unique configuration, we were able to measure the subjects in the evening, but after having slept normally 6 to 7 hours," explains Professor Schrauwen. . "Using glucose forceps (gold standard for measuring insulin resistance, ed) and stable isotopes, we were able to accurately measure the insulin sensitivity of the liver and muscle, and to study muscle biopsies. the processes in the muscle have been exactly affected. "

Biological Clock
Measurements of Maastricht scientists showed not only that the insulin sensitivity in the muscles of the 14 subjects after stay in the breathing rooms was significantly lower. happened to the subjects during the sudden reversal of the rhythm of day and night

"The biological clock is not only in our brain, but in all the cells of our body," says researcher Jakob Wefers. "In our study, we discovered that this biological clock did not fit the new schedule, we found in the muscle that the molecular biological clock was still functioning in the old days, which probably explains why muscle is also less sensitive to insulin. could explain the increased risk of type 2 diabetes in people who work in teams.

More research should show if disruption of the daytime and nocturnal rhythm actually causes type 2 diabetes