SAN DIEGO—
SeaWorld researches think dolphins' could be key to helping find a cure for human diabetes. As it turns out, scientists at Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute have connected dolphins with type 2 diabetes."We find things that are sort of interesting to us, and that's what happened with this diabetes connection," says Pamela Yochem, of Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute.
Insulin resistance in humans is abnormal, in fact, that's exactly what type two diabetes is. But now a new report out by the National Marine Mammal Foundation says dolphins have a rather normal phenomenon to help them fast overnight.
"Dolphins seem to switch on and off insulin resistance."
Yochem says dolphins regulate their insulin to maintain their blood sugar overnight, and if good old Flipper does in fact, have a genetic fasting switch, finding such a switch in people could possibly cure the fatal disease.
"This seems to be something that regularly turns on and off for them, and if we can figure out how it is they turn it on and off, maybe we can use that with humans."
Like people, dolphins have relatively large brains that crave available blood sugar. That's why the report says the marine mammal and humans get diabetes.
"The approach is fascinating and we can certainly learn more from that research," says Dr. Athena Philis-Tsimikas of Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute.
Dr. Philis-Tsimikas says there's no cure to type 2 diabetes, for now, just treatments. That's why some scientists and doctors agree, this dolphin-diabetes link to humans might put an end to the potentially fatal disease.
"It is one of the top deaths in this country and it can really aggravate and promote cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Athena Philis-Tsimikas of Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute.
