Insulin is widely recognised for its role in reducing blood glucose levels, however it has recently been shown by our research group and others, that insulin plays a role in inflammation. This dual function may have evolved to protect us from contaminated foods which until recently in human history, we would have been frequently exposed to.
The mechanism of how insulin affects blood glucose has been well studied, but how insulin regulates inflammation is less understood because it is such a recent finding.
It is important to find out how insulin effects inflammation because insulin levels are significantly higher in the years preceding diabetes diagnosis compared to healthy people; this may be contribute to the increased risk of inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular disease, that people with diabetes suffer from.
