In the southwestern United States lives a unique animal called the Gila monster. What is so unique about this lizard-like creature is the fact that it only eats three times a year. Why does it only get hungry every four months? Scientists, in the never-ending search for new medications, began to study the Gila monster. What they have come up with is truly remarkable.
The saliva of the animal contains a chemical that is enhancing the lives of many diabetics. What this chemical, called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), does for diabetics is the latest breakthrough in the fight against this disease. One of the benefits is the increase of glucose-dependent insulin secretion. This mimics our own bodys response to food; releasing insulin only when we need it. This process greatly reduces the peak and valley insulin levels usually associated with conventional insulin injections. It also increases the function of the insulin producing cells in the body.
The real breakthrough in this chemical is what is called beta-cell neogenesis. Beta-cells are located on the pancrease and are responsible for the release of insulin into the body. In a diabetic person, these...