Diabetic Association of Bangladesh president Professor AK Azad Khan (right) addresses a press conference held at BIRDEM in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon. Bangladesh Diabetic Association’s advisory professor and Lead Researcher Madhu S. Malo (centre) was present.
Diabetic Association of Bangladesh president Professor AK Azad Khan (right) addresses a press conference held at BIRDEM in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon. Bangladesh Diabetic Association’s advisory professor and Lead Researcher Madhu S. Malo (centre) was present.
The scientists of Bangladesh have discovered a new cause of diabetes. Deficiency of Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is one of the main causes of this disease, said the scientists.
The results of the research have been published in the British Medical Journal.
“According to the research, the new cause of diabetes is Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP). Declining IAP is one of the leading causes of this disease,” they said at a press conference held at BIRDEM in Dhaka on Wednesday afternoon.
IAP’s major function is to protect intestinal tract against bacteria, aid in digestion, breakdown fats and some B vitamins, and promote bone formation.
Former assistant professor of Harvard University, Bangladesh Diabetic Association’s advisory professor and Lead researcher Madhu S. Malo told reporters that 574 people between the ages of 30 and 60 were diagnosed with this new cause of diabetes in the last five years.
The results of the research have already been published in the British Medical Journal. The scientists expressed the hope that the discovery would play a major role in prevention and treatment of diabetes in future.
Diabetic Association of Bangladesh president Professor AK Azad Khan said the causes of 15 per cent of diabetes in Bangladesh are hereditary. “We’ve nothing to do to prevent this diabetes. But, the rest 85 per cent of diabetes are developed by people due to IAP-related reasons. Those who have low IAP are more at risk of developing diabetes. This is a groundbreaking discovery. The discovery proves that the scientists of Bangladesh are also capable of doing major works,” he said.
Professor Khan also said some 460 million people now suffer from diabetes in the world. Of them, more than 8.6 million suffer from diabetes in Bangladesh. “There are many causes behind why such a large number of people suffer from this disease. However, Bangladeshi scientists have discovered a new cause of this disease,” he said.
A team of researchers from BIRDEM, Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, Rajshahi University, Jahangirnagar University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Harvard University, were involved in the research.
