Fruit Bats' High-Sugar Diet Holds Key to Diabetes Treatment

Genetic adaptations in fruit bats' pancreas and kidneys could provide valuable insights for human diabetes research.

Fruit bats can consume large amounts of sugary fruit without adverse health effects due to specific physiological adaptations in their pancreas and kidneys.
Unlike humans, fruit bats can lower their blood sugar faster and do not develop diabetes despite their high-sugar diet.
Researchers have found that the fruit bat pancreas has extra insulin-producing cells and genetic changes to help it process an immense amount of sugar.
Fruit bat kidneys have adapted to ensure that vital electrolytes would be retained from their watery meals.
The study could provide valuable knowledge for developing new treatments for diabetes, which affects an estimated 38 million Americans.