New surgery might change the whole dynamic of how diabetes is treated.

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a disease that impairs the insulin response. Our bodies normally use glucose for an energy source. Insulin responds to the levels of blood glucose. When insulin levels are not controlled, levels of glucose increase in the blood and urine.

Diabetes Statistics

https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/statistics-about-diabetes A bit over ten percent of Americans have diabetes. Of those with diabetes, just under five percent type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, occurs when the body cannot make insulin. Type 2 diabetes, adult-onset diabetes, occurs when the cells that use insulin do not respond properly.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-1-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20353011 identifies details associated with type 1 diabetes. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes provides similar details regarding type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes Surgery

https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/type-2-diabetes-surgery-insulin/2020/10/14/id/991886/. The Amsterdam University Medical Center in the Netherlands performed a very small group of 16 patients. Surgeries were done that might revolutionize the treatment of diabetes. An endoscope is inserted into the mouth, down the throat, through the stomach, to the duodenum.

Duodenal Mucosal Resurfacing (DMR) is the term used to describe the surgery. The tools at the end of the endoscope resurface or ablate the duodenal lining. Scientists believe that the ablation surgery leads to regeneration of the hormonal signaling processes which is key to controlling insulin sensitivity.

In addition to the surgery, the patients were placed on diabetes medication, GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) receptor agonists. On top of that, the patients were educated about nutrition and exercise to change their lifestyles to reduce the risk of recurrence of type 2 diabetes.

Study Results

Less than a year after the surgeries, 12 of the 16 patients no longer needed their insulin. The other four patients were able to lower their daily insulin intake by 50%. Within one year all the patients lost significant body fat.

The article definitively stated that this was not a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical study. Future studies are planned at 35 hospitals in several countries.

All the patients had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for an average of eleven years. The A1C (glycated hemoglobin) levels were around 8% and fell to 6.7% within three months. The American Diabetes Association states that an A1C for diabetics should be less than 7%, preferably between 5.7 and 6.5%. Anything over 6.5% is considered indicative of diabetes. https://www.diabetes.org/a1c#:~:text=The%20goal%20for%20most%20adults,that%20is%20less%20than%207%25.&text=If%20your%20A1C%20level%20is,were%20in%20the%20diabetes%20range.

GLP-1 Therapy

GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine has helped 10% of diabetics using insulin to get completely off insulin. GLP-1 drugs include Albiglutide (Tanseum), Dulaglutide (Trulicity), Exenatide (Byetta), Extended-release exenatide (Bydureon), Liraglutide (Victoza), Lixisenatide (Adlyxin), and Semaglutide (Ozempic & Rybelsus). https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/qa/which-diabetes-medicines-are-glp1-receptor-agonists

Conclusion

It is interesting how results are interpreted. Some medical reviews felt that weight loss was the real cause of lowering or withdrawal from insulin. Others felt that the patients were motivated to change their lifestyle and that was the driving force for their success.

Regardless of who is right, the reviewers of the study, or the study designers, this is great news. Lifestyle changes are hard but required for a healthier life.

Live Longer & Enjoy Life! – Red O’Laughlin – RedOLaughlin.com

 

 

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