Although natural diabetes remedies may help keep symptoms at bay, scientists have discovered five new gene variants that could raise blood sugar, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

According to a new study published in Nature Genetics conducted by the Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin Related Traits Consortium (MAGIC), it would seem that beta cells play an important role in diabetes development.

One of the five variants that increase the risk of diabetes is a cell that influences the fasting of glucose levels. When a beta cell is impaired, the body is also left more susceptible to developing the disease.

Genes can influence how cells signal and expand which could, in turn, ultimately affect their glucose levels, putting an individual at a greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have touched on this theory but have never been able to find concrete evidence.

The scientists studied 13 varieties of genes but noted that only five of them put the body at risk for diabetes.

“Our study shows that genetic studies of glycemic traits can identify loci (cells) for type 2 diabetes risk,” says lead co-author Dr. Jose Florez. “However, not all loci that influence blood glucose regulation are associated with greater risk for type 2 diabetes. Some loci elevate fasting glucose slightly but do not raise diabetes risk.”