Is type 2 Diabetes more common in men? Study sheds light - Video

Previous research has indicated that men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) at a younger age and lower weight compared to women, suggesting a higher overall risk among men. One potential factor contributing to this difference is how adipose tissue responds to insulin.

Adipose tissue, responsible for storing excess energy as triglycerides, is regulated by insulin, which reduces triglyceride breakdown and increases storage. In insulin resistance, adipose cells become less sensitive to insulin, impairing these processes and leading to elevated fat levels in the bloodstream, increasing T2D risk.

If men exhibit more pronounced insulin resistance in adipose cells compared to women, it could explain the higher prevalence of T2D in men.

Lead researcher Dr. Daniel P. Andersson from the Department of Endocrinology at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and his team conducted the study by measuring the adipose insulin resistance index in 2,344 women and 787 men, with an average age of 44 years and a BMI of 35 kg/m².

The results showed that men had higher adipose insulin resistance index values than women, but this difference was observed only among individuals with obesity (BMI 30 kg/m² or higher). This pattern persisted regardless of physical activity level, presence of cardiometabolic disease, and nicotine use.

Additionally, in a subgroup consisting of 259 women and 54 men with obesity, the researchers conducted adipose tissue biopsies to examine the effect of insulin on isolated fat cells.

The findings revealed significant disparities between genders. In men, compared to women, a 10-fold higher insulin concentration was required to inhibit triglyceride breakdown into fatty acids, and this inhibition was less efficient in men. However, the storage capacity of fat cells was similar in both sexes.

“Men with obesity show increased adipose insulin resistance and higher blood levels of free fatty acids compared to women. This is primarily due to insulin's reduced ability to inhibit fatty acid breakdown in men's fat cells, rather than differences in storage capacity. Elevated fatty acids in the bloodstream can induce local insulin resistance in organs like the liver, muscles, and pancreas, potentially contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes over time,” explained Dr Andersson.

Reference: Daniel P. Andersson, Department of Endocrinology at Karolinska University Hospital, et al., Do sex differences in how adipose tissue responds to insulin explain why type 2 diabetes is more common in men? :EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF OBESITY; International Journal of Obesity; MEETING: European Congress on Obesity (ECO2024)