Potential "Cure" for Type 1 Diabetes?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110126161835.htm

Potential 'Cure' for Type 1 Diabetes?

ScienceDaily (Jan. 26, 2011) — Type 1 diabetes could be converted to an asymptomatic, non-insulin-dependent disorder by eliminating the actions of a specific hormone, new findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggest.


These findings in mice show that insulin becomes completely superfluous and its absence does not cause diabetes or any other abnormality when the actions of glucagon are suppressed. Glucagon, a hormone produced by the pancreas, prevents low blood sugar levels in healthy individuals. It causes high blood sugar in people with type 1 diabetes.

"We've all been brought up to think insulin is the all-powerful hormone without which life is impossible, but that isn't the case," said Dr. Roger Unger, professor of internal medicine and senior author of the study appearing online and in the February issue of Diabetes. "If diabetes is defined as restoration of glucose homeostasis to normal, then this treatment can perhaps be considered very close to a 'cure.' "

[PuraVidaDreamin]

1. Exciting discovery

Even tho it's only an early discovery.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Thanks for posting this.

[Jokinomx]

3. I will believe it when it's actually put into practice.....

My wife a type one diabetic since age nine has heard the "cure" word from the first day she was diagnosed over 45 years ago and yearly ever since. The cure is right around the corner "Within 5 years".... I don't know how many times I have heard that.

There is a "cure" already.... I saw a report on a lady who was cured for over a year without having to take one shot...how you ask?

by taking the Islets of Langerhans from the pancreas from a cadaver and injecting them into the diabetic patient. They attach to the liver and start producing insulin. The drawback... the patient must take an anti-rejection medicine for the rest of their lives.

How long the cure will last is yet to be determined.

One thing... I really don't know if they want a cure... there is just too much money involved... could you imagine the number of people that would lose their jobs if a cure was found. Insurance companies don't pay for testing equipment or testing strips... which to monitor glucose levels a person should check at least 5 times a day... or every time a person eats. Each strip costs about .50 each... and I am sure they cost maybe a few pennies to produce. With a daughter and wife as type 1 diabetics, our out of pocket costs reach near $3000.00 a year. Not to mention the what the insurance companies decide to pay.

yes I am cynical, after decades of being told the cure is near... and seeing the billions of dollars spent and made on the disease.... I am very skeptical.

Peace.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Have you ever looked at time released alpha lipoic acid... there may be

something there for someone... remember TIME RELEASED.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19125705

Clinic of Endocrinology, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Diseases, University of Sarajevo Clinics Centre, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Abstract

Diabetic neuropathy represents late diabetes complications, and diabetes duration and long-term hyperglycemia are the main reasons for polyneuropathy. The goal was to estimate the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on symptoms of diabetic neuropathy after 600 mg i.v. for 3 weeks and 3 months of 300-600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid per os.

This study has been designed as a multicentric, in 5-centers in B&H, carried out by 5 physicians with 20 diabetic patients each. Following parameters were monitored in 100 diabetics suffering from Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, both men and women: diabetes duration, diabetes therapy, duration of polyneuropathy symptoms, height, weight, BMI (body mass index), subjective assessment of patients, objective examinations of physicians and subjective assessment of physicians. 100 diabetics, average age 61,36; oldest 79, youngest 40, suffered from diabetes in average 11,9 years.

There were 35 men and 65 women, 16 with Type 1 and 80 with Type 2 diabetes, while 4 patients were not classified. 69 were having insulin therapy and 31 oral hypoglicemics. Shortest diabetic status was less than a year, and longest was 28 years.

Average duration of polyneuropathic symptoms was 3,02 years, shortest was less than a year, and the longest was 15 years. Average height was 1,70 m, average weight 76,13 kg, and average BMI 26,51 kg/m2. Significant statistic differences in improvement were recorded (P>0,05) according to Fridman's test for repeated measurements compared to initial findings in assessments: sensory symptoms of polyneuropathy, pain sensations as polyneuropathy symptoms, total score of polyneuropathy symptoms, subjective assessment of patients, subjective findings of physicians, and significant differences were not find (P>0,05) in autonomous and motoric neuropathy.

Based on the conducted study, we have concluded that the application of alpha-lipoic acid during 3 months has helped to decrease the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and in only one case out of 100 included patients there was no subjective improvement after drug application.

PMID: 19125705