For decades, scientists have been puzzled over how exactly high blood sugar causes type 2 diabetes.
But Oxford University researchers may finally have the answer.
Tests revealed it wasn’t the elevated glucose levels that were directly to blame for the pancreas being robbed of its insulin-making ability.
Instead, they found glucose metabolites — the chemicals released when sugar is broken down — rather than glucose itself is behind the decline.
The discovery could lead to diabetes patients being given new treatments to slow down glucose metabolism, preventing the condition getting worse, they said.
Type 2 diabetes affects approximately 2million people in Britain and 37million in the US. It occurs when blood sugar is too high, which can lead to complications including blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage if left uncontrolled.
Patients are currently encouraged to eat well and exercise to maintain a healthy weight to slow its progression.
Medication like Glucophage to improve insulin function is usually prescribed later on if diet and exercise is not effective alone.
However, the latest research could lead to new drugs that could stop the disease getting to that point in the first place.