Unhealthy glucose levels in diabetics can severely inhibit defenses against bacterial and fungal infections, new research shows.
The study carried out at the UK’s University of Warwick finds that the raised glucose can create a sugar coating that serves to impair the body’s attempts to fight off such infections, according to a summary at dLife.com.
Specialized receptors that recognize molecules associated with bacteria and fungi are in effect blinded when glucose levels surpass healthy levels, the researchers say. The excess glucose also binds in a way that blocks the chemical processes that typically follow to attack such infections.
The findings help to explain why diabetic complications often include heightened risk of viral infections such as influenza and inflammatory conditions such as cardiovascular disease.
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