February 20, 2026 5:41 PM
Link between low oxygen and reduced blood sugar could yield new diabetes treatments
Diabetes is less common among people living at high altitudes, where oxygen levels are low, than at sea level, and researchers who have discovered why that happens say the reason may lead to new treatments. In low-oxygen conditions, like those on high mountains, red blood cells can shift their metabolism to soak up sugar from the bloodstream, acting as “glucose sponges,” they reported on Thursday in Cell Metabolism. At high altitudes, being able to carry more glucose gives the red blood ce...