Possible Cures for Diabetes and the Causes of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is not as common as Type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes requires insulin substitution shots to replace the hormone that a person with diabetes’ body no longer makes. Islet cells in the pancreas are what normally produce insulin and they also are made up of cells called beta cells, which analyze blood sugar levels that in full-blown diabetics are measured with a glucometer. The immune system turns traitor on islet cells when somebody becomes a diabetic. Beta cells cannot release insulin anymore when diabetes actually manifests itself. Alpha cells produce glucose. In diabetes, only the alpha cells function with glucose. Islet cells are attacked by the body’s immune system, and this makes type 1 diabetes an autoimmune problem.

Insulin is a hormone that converts food to energy that powers the body’s cell structure. One attempt at a cure is transplanting the missing islet cells into the body of a diabetic patient. Transplanted islet cells have at least 12 years or more of functionality. Stem cells could be created and told to become islet cells, stem cells from the patient's own body since there is a risk of rejection. There are two types of islet cell transplantation: allo-transplantation and auto-transplantation. Donors of cells are deceased because the body doesn’t need its insulin anymore.

After the islets are taken from the donor, they are purified in a laboratory. Transplant recipients receive two cell infusions, with 400,000-500,000 islets per infusion. If the implanted cells are successful, they begin to make insulin again which is released into the blood stream. Transplantation is used to help patients get normal blood sugar levels. Replacing the beta cells causes a need for use of immunosuppressant drugs. Transplants may eventually help wipe out diabetes but since we do not have single payer, we cannot expect the establishment to treat people in large groups.

If stem cells are grown from the body of the recipient, then the cells would not be rejected as easily, nor would they require immunosuppressant drugs. In particular, embryonic stem cell research would be all about turning embryo cells into islet cells or whatever other cells are needed. The biggest danger for any type of diabetes islet cell transplant recipients is the way that their autoimmune system could attack their cells anyway. Human embryonic stem cells do not always have to be used, when in fact rat cells can yield enough cells for transplant as an infinite source.

Pre-diabetes is when the body still produces insulin but the blood sugar runs higher, at 108-120. In any person who may have diabetes problems, their average is higher until the diabetes hits full force, causing high blood sugar, which requires insulin pills for type 2s and insulin for type 1s. Making the pancreas reproduce islet cells is being studied right now in the immediate present. Islet cell transplants are highly effective. More research needs to be done on how to be able to reactivate dormant islet cells.

In somebody who has had diabetes for a very long time, islet cells are dead. They are not producing insulin anymore, so the use of insulin, which is a replacement hormone, is required. Insulin helps restore the body’s function and digestive processes. Symptoms of lack of insulin include peeing a lot because the blood sugar is high; patients eat twice of what they actually need to eat; hunger attacks, causing a gnawing feeling in the stomach. People with impending diabetes are thirsty, drinking water non-stop, even type 2s. Type 2s, however, are overweight and need to lose weight in order to stop the progression of diabetes. The skinnier that sort of patient becomes, the easier it is to fight off diabetes. Diabetes is easy to manage with insulin pumps if you infuse, or shots if you inject. The insulin pump is more discrete and low profile. Someday there will be a cure for diabetes.