Doctors say diabetes can take a major toll on the heart, and new research is revealing ways to stop that damage before it leads to heart failure.
Two in five people will develop diabetes in their lifetime, and those individuals are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the most serious complications is diabetic cardiomyopathy — a condition that weakens the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body, making everyday activities such as walking, sleeping and even breathing difficult.
“The heart burns a lot of fuel, but it’s not built for overload,” said Dr. Nikos Drosotas, a researcher studying how diabetes alters heart function at the cellular level. “Too much sugar in the heart weakens the way it pumps.”
What the Study Found
Drosotas and his team are studying two key proteins: GLUT1, which controls how sugar enters heart cells, and KLF5, which becomes overactive when those cells are overloaded with glucose. The overload causes fat to build up and damages heart tissue, increasing the risk of failure.
In laboratory studies on diabetic mice, researchers found that blocking the GLUT1 protein stopped — and in some cases reversed — heart damage.
“The end goal is to see if, by blocking glucose import, we can prevent the molecular changes that lead to disease,” Drosotas said.
Why It Matters
Roughly 90% of people with diabetes have type 2, so scientists say new therapies targeting this process could help millions live longer, healthier lives.
For now, doctors emphasize that maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and managing blood sugar remain the best defenses against diabetes-related heart disease.
