Turns out covid-19 can trigger diabetes even in healthy people

Every day is a new day in the world of research and science, thanks to covid-19. From the WHO to every health organization in the world, scientists are  having sleepless nights trying to understand how and why this virus is impacting people around the world. 

As a result of their efforts, we have a new insights into covid-19 which says that the infection can lead to the onset of diabetes even if you are fit as a fiddle.

According to researchers from King’s College London, coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2 might trigger diabetes in healthy people. Plus, they also observed that if you or someone in your family already has type-1 or type-2 diabetes, then covid-related complications might be severe. 

Researchers are still trying to figure out how covid-19 is triggering diabetes
Given the short period of human contact with new coronavirus, the exact mechanism by which the virus influences glucose metabolism is still unclear.

“Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and we are now realising the consequences of the inevitable clash between two pandemics,” said study researcher Francesco Rubino, Professor at King’s College London.

Rubino warned:

We don’t know whether the acute manifestation of diabetes in these patients represent classic type 1, type 2 or possibly a new form of diabetes. 

“CoviDiab Registry”, an international research project will track people globally
According to the report, an international research project called ‘CoviDiab Registry’ has announced the formation of a global registry that will track covid-19 cases in which the patient goes on to develop diabetes, according to a letter from 17 diabetes experts recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The project is aimed towards understanding the process of manifestation of diabetes especially in healthy people if they get infected with covid-19. 

On one hand the researchers have found that covid-19 and diabetes is associated with increased risk of mortality.

“Between 20 and 30% of patients who died with covid-19 have been reported to have diabetes,” the study showed.

On the other hand, it is triggering healthy people who don’t have diabetes in the first place. The sad news is that according to researchers it can be life-threatening.

It is still unclear how SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes covid-19, impacts diabetics
Earlier research has shown how ACE-2, a protein binds to covid-19 virus allowing the pathogen to enter human cells. ACE-2 is not only located in the lungs but also in organs and tissues involved in glucose metabolisms such as the pancreas, the small intestine, the fat tissue, the liver, and the kidney. So basically, it can impact multiple organs.

It has also been known for many years that viral infections can precipitate type 1-diabetes.

“The registry focuses on routinely collected clinical data that will help us examine insulin secretory capacity, insulin resistance, and autoimmune antibody status to understand how covid-19 related diabetes develops,” concluded study researcher Stephanie Amiel.

So, don’t commit the mistake of taking this virus for granted because even if you are healthy still it can strike you real hard.

(With inputs from IANS)