Can Bats’ Sugar Management Offer Solutions for Diabetes?

Researchers are investigating if bats’ ability to manage high sugar levels could lead to breakthroughs in diabetes treatment. Wei Gordon, a biologist at Menlo College, studied fruit bats in Belize during the sixteenth Bat-a-thon, an annual event that convened 80-some researchers at Belize’s Lamanai Archaeological Reserve. 

Gordon found that fruit bats, which feed on what she calls “nature’s candy,” can handle large amounts of fruit without developing diabetes. “These bats control sugar like it was nothing,” said Nadav Ahituv from the University of California, San Francisco.

Gordon’s research, published in Nature Communications, showed that fruit bats have more pancreas cells for insulin production and genetic traits for rapid blood sugar regulation. 

Meanwhile, in another study, Jasmin Camacho from the Stowers Institute examined nectar-feeding bats, which consume even more sugar. “These are basically hummingbirds of the night, drinking floral nectar,” said Camacho. Despite their high intake, these bats stay healthy, potentially due to their constant flight, which might help manage their blood sugar.

Both Gordon and Camacho’s teams hope their findings on bats’ sugar metabolism could lead to new approaches for managing diabetes in humans.