Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system is activated to destroy the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. We do not know what causes this auto-immune reaction. Type 1 diabetes is not linked to modifiable lifestyle factors. There is no cure and it cannot be prevented. Type 1 diabetes: Occurs when the pancreas does not produce insulin Represents around 10% of all cases of diabetes and is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions Onset is usually abrupt and the symptoms obvious Symptoms can include excessive thirst and urination, unexplained weight loss, weakness and fatigue and blurred vision Is managed with insulin injections several times a day or the use of an insulin pump. What happens to the pancreas? In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach, stops making insulin because the cells that make the insulin have been destroyed by the body’s immune system. Without insulin, the body’s cells cannot turn glucose (sugar), into energy. People with type 1 diabetes depend on insulin every day of their lives to replace the insulin the body cannot produce. They must test their blood glucose levels several times throughout the day. The onset of type 1 diabetes occurs most frequently in people under 30 years, however new research suggests almost half of all people who develop the condition are diagnosed over the age of 30. About 10-15% of all cases of diabetes are type 1. What happens if people with type 1 diabetes don’t receive insulin? Without insulin the body burns its own fats as a substitute which releases chemical substances in the blood. Without ongoing injections of insulin, the dangerous chemical substances will accumulate and can be life threatening if it is not treated. This is a condition call Continue reading >>
Curing Type 1 Diabetes: An Interview With Dr. Habib Zaghouani, Mu School Of Medicine
Please can you give a brief introduction to type 1 diabetes? How does it differ from type 2 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an attack by the immune system of the islet of Langerhans within the pancreas. Basically, the islet of Langerhans harbor beta cells, which produce insulin and when the islets are attacked, the beta cells destruct and there is no more insulin. When the insulin level goes low, blood glucose levels go high and that creates a problem. Type 2 diabetes, for a long time has been defined as a resistance to insulin. I think the thought is still there, but at the end stage of type 2 diabetes, it evolves to resemble type 1 diabetes and there is destruction of beta cells. So, that’s as close as we can get now as far as finding the similarities and differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. What was previously known about the causes of type 1 diabetes? There are predisposition genes that are required in order for type 1 diabetes to develop, but, it is not sufficient. There are other factors that play a role. Ultimately, it is the immune system that turns against the islets and destroys the beta cells. So, as far as what triggers the immune system to attack the islets, that etiology remains undefined. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune mediated disease, which means it is the immune system that causes type 1 diabetes. Your recent research revealed that the immune system causes more damage to the insulin-producing cells than previously thought. How extensive was the damage you discovered? Well, what we discovered is that the immune system causes a severe attack of the beta cells and it has always been thought that, if you stopped the immune system from attacking the beta cells, we cure type 1 diabetes. What the findings are demonstrating is that stopping the imm Continue reading >>
Has Anyone Been Successful In Reversing Type 1 Diabetes?
The reversal of type 1 diabetes, or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM), is a topic that is perpetually controversial. Many diagnosed as having IDDM are told that a cure should be available “in the next ten years”. Diabetics have been hearing these words since the 1950’s. True, the first pancreatic transplant occurred in 1966[1], but a cure that is available to the entire diabetes community has yet to be discovered. The work to achieve a cure for type 1 diabetes is extensive and involves a number of different approaches. Pancreatic transplants, islet cell transplants, artificial closed-loop insulin delivery systems, and targeted supplementation with extreme dietary management have all been explored. Pancreatic Transplants Transplanting the whole pancreas into a patient with type 1 diabetes has proven somewhat successful for patients who are experiencing advanced diabetic complications. Despite appearing to be a viable treatment for restoring insulin independence, the procedure itself is highly invasive (often involving the replacement of both the pancreas and the kidneys), and requires the ongoing use of immunosuppressants to protect against the rejection of the transplanted tissue(s)[2]. Islet Cell Transplants Transplanting only the insulin-producing islet cells makes this procedure significantly less invasive than a pancreatic transplant. Unfortunately, this method is limited by several factors: The technology available to obtain a sufficient quantity of islet cells (more than twice the number of donor organs are needed compared to pancreatic transplantation) Patients are also required to adhere to immunosuppressive therapy to prevent against islet cell rejection Islet cells can be transplanted into the recipient’s body either through the portal vein or Continue reading >>
Scientists Cure Type 1 Diabetes For A Year Without Side Effects
A potential cure for Type 1 diabetes looms on the horizon – and the novel approach would also allow Type 2 diabetics to stop insulin shots. The treatment totally cured diabetes in mice for an entire year without any side effects. The discovery, made at UT Health San Antonio, works by increasing the types of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin. “It worked perfectly,” said Dr. Bruno Doiron, assistant professor of medicine at UT Health. “We cured mice for one year without any side effects. That’s never been seen.” CHECK OUT: First Ever Quadriplegic Treated With Stem Cells Regains Motor Control in His Upper Body Insulin, which lowers blood sugar, is only made by beta cells. In Type 1 diabetes, beta cells are destroyed by the immune system and the person has no insulin. In Type 2 diabetes, beta cells fail and insulin decreases. At the same time in Type 2, the body doesn’t use insulin efficiently. The therapy is accomplished by a technique called gene transfer. A virus is used as a vector, or carrier, to introduce selected genes into the pancreas. These genes become incorporated and cause digestive enzymes and other cell types to make insulin. Unlike beta cells, which the body rejects in Type 1 diabetes, the other cell populations of the pancreas co-exist with the body’s immune defenses. Gene transfer using a viral vector has been approved nearly 50 times by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat various diseases. MORE: After Marrying On Her ‘Deathbed,’ This Bride Made a Miraculous Recovery After Quitting 1 Food “The pancreas has many other cell types besides beta cells, and our approach is to alter these cells so that they start to secrete insulin, but only in response to glucose [sugar],” said co-inventor Ralph DeFronzo. “This is basicall Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And The Diet That Cured Me
Why me? At 59 I was 10st 7lb, 5ft 7in, and had never been overweight. I ran and played cricket regularly and didn't drink alcohol excessively. Yet at a routine check-up I was told that I had type 2 diabetes. In 10 years I could be dependent on insulin, it could affect my sight, feet, ears, heart and I had a 36% greater chance of dying early. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces none of the insulin that regulates our blood sugar levels. Very high glucose levels can damage the body's organs. Patients with type 2 diabetes, however, do produce insulin - just not enough to keep their glucose levels normal. Because I was fit and not overweight (obesity is a major risk factor in type 2 diabetes; however, a number of non-obese people, particularly members of south Asian communities, are also prone to it), my doctor told me I could control my condition with diet alone. Desperate for information, I headed to the web, where I found a report about a research trial at Newcastle University led by Professor Roy Taylor. His research suggested type 2 diabetes could be reversed by following a daily 800-calorie diet for eight weeks. When our bodies are deprived of normal amounts of food they consume their own fat reserves, with the fat inside organs used up first. The idea of Taylor's diet is to use up the fat that is clogging up the pancreas and preventing it from creating insulin, until normal glucose levels return. With my GP's blessing and a home glucose-testing kit, I began my experiment. The diet was strict: three litres of water a day, three 200-calorie food supplements (soups and shakes) and 200 calories of green vegetables. Thanks to my doctor's dietary guidance, and running three times a week, I had already lost a stone. Yet my glucose levels were still above 6mmol/L (millimols Continue reading >>
Has A British Man Really Been Cured Of Type 1 Diabetes?
I have been living with type 1 diabetes for 25 years now. The relentlessness of type 1, and the fact that I will probably live with this non-preventable condition for the rest of my life never goes away, but I have almost made peace with it. A few days ago, I saw something that gave me pause. “British man with type 1 diabetes to receive tests after coming off insulin,” read Diabetes.co.uk’s headline. The article goes onto say that, “Daniel Darkes, from Daventy in Northamptonshire, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes seven years ago. But his recent tests have baffled doctors as his pancreas has shown signs of working properly again.” My first thoughts upon reading this were, “this can’t be true,” and “what’s the real explanation here?” There are many types of diabetes including type 2, LADA, and monogenic. Maybe he actually had one of those types instead of type 1. Usually, tests can determine this quickly though, so why was it not the case with Dan? I live in the UK and I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I managed to get in touch with ‘Miracle Dan’, as he’s been called by his friends. Although he is saving the specific details of his recent test results from the U.S. for an upcoming exclusive interview with another media outlet, he spoke to me and answered some of my questions about everything that has been happening. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your diabetes. When were you diagnosed? I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes back in February 2011 at the age of 23, after just leaving the army. I started a new engineering job and within two weeks of starting, I noticed the traditional symptoms of type 1 diabetes: thirst, weight loss, blurry vision, and a lot of vomiting. I collapsed and was taken by ambulance to hospital where I wa Continue reading >>
Will Embryonic Stem Cells Ever Cure Anything?
When his son Sam was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at six months of age, Doug Melton was incredulous. “I remember at night, my wife and I pricking his heel, and saying ‘No, this can’t be, this can’t be,’” he says. “It felt like we had lost the lottery.” Later, his daughter would receive the same diagnosis. By then, Melton had already dropped what he was doing—studying frog eggs at Harvard—and launched an effort to grow pancreatic cells from scratch in his lab. The beta cells of the pancreas are the ones killed off in type 1 diabetes, and Melton reasoned he could replace them using new tissue manufactured from embryonic stem cells. Melton’s effort, involving a 30-person lab at Harvard and a startup company, Semma Therapeutics, which he named after his children, Sam and Emma, is one of the most costly and sustained efforts to turn stem cells into transplantable tissue, an attempt that Melton admits has been full of false starts and dead ends. “The public definitely doesn’t appreciate that much of science is failure,” he says. In fact, no field of biotechnology has promised more and delivered less in the way of treatments than embryonic stem cells. Only a handful of human studies has ever been carried out, without significant results. The cells, culled from IVF embryos, are capable of developing into any other tissue type in the body, and therefore promise an unlimited supply of replacement tissue. Sounds simple, but it hasn’t been. It took Melton and his team 15 years to unveil each molecular step required to coax a stem cell into a pancreatic beta cell able to sense glucose and secrete insulin. The recipe uses a cocktail of chemicals and a three-dimensional incubation system, tall spinning flasks brewing what looks like murky red Gatorade, Continue reading >>
Caroline’s Story: Overcoming Type 1 Diabetes With Real Food
Today, Caroline Potter from Colorful Eats, has an amazing story of recovery for you. She’s worked with the same nutritionist that I have these last few years, and has been able to treat Type 1 diabetes with a nutrient-dense diet and natural supplements. It’s another encouraging story of how food can play a significant role in our fight against disease! Treating Diabetes with Real Food Life in your 20s seems pretty grand. You feel powerful, youthful and energized. Dreams seem within your reach and challenges seem conquerable. Then out of the blue, college bliss turns into doctors offices and waiting rooms. Countless tests of all forms, vague results and no answers as to what was wrong with me. As I came home from college that winter for Christmas break, I laid on the couch for most of my vacation. I was constantly starving, eating everything in sight but quickly loosing weight. Finally, one day while out to dinner with my family, I broke down in tears because my mouth was so dry, I could barely talk. I was experiencing dry mouth, one of the major symptoms of diabetes. Diabetes? I was 20, a seemingly healthy young girl, who grew up in a home where my mother fed us all organic food. I was the one in school with her carrot sticks and tuna salad sandwiches. I never drank soda or ate Oreos, so the thought of diabetes was never even on my radar. Barely able to walk up a flight of stairs, I checked myself into the ER to discover my blood sugar levels were in a diabetic coma range. Later the next morning, the doctor diagnosed me with type 1 diabetes. I was scared, hopeless and confused. The days that followed were difficult to say the least. I still felt sick all the time, gained over 20 pounds in 2 weeks and felt terribly alone. My legs turned black and blue from giving mys Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Can Sometimes Be Reversed With Diet And Common Nutrients
Saving and nurturing cells that make insulin Q: I’m constantly reading about type 2 diabetes treatments. But I have type 1 diabetes. Are there any supplements I can take to prevent type 1 diabetic complications? Dr. Wright: Type 1 diabetes patients are usually surprised to learn that they can use diet and common nutrients to significantly improve their conditions. In fact, they can sometimes even reverse diabetes if caught early. We’ll start with the islet beta cells in the pancreas. These cells produce insulin that transports glucose from the bloodstream to the cells of your body. In Type 1 diabetes, islet cell beta cells (usually just called beta cells) become impaired and die. In recent animal studies, researchers have shown that therapeutic use of an amino acid called GABA may help maintain beta cells and slow, or even reverse, the development of type 1 diabetes. While it’s very likely that GABA in relatively large quantities will have beneficial effects in human type 1 diabetes, complete and permanent reversal of type 1 diabetes in humans also requires strict diet modification, and can be aided by other specific nutrients. The reason beta cells stop working has been traced to an “auto-immune attack” on these cells by lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) and other cells of the immune system. Cow’s milk protein and gluten have been strongly implicated in “triggering” auto-immune attacks on beta cells. Many years ago, Dr. Christopher Reading pioneered the use of dietary changes to treat auto-immune diseases. He found that dairy products, and especially gluten in grain, interfered with nutrient absorption in the intestine. Dr. Reading advised auto-immune disease patients to eliminate all grains and dairy products from their diets permanently. In dif Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is the type of diabetes that typically develops in children and in young adults. In type 1 diabetes the body stops making insulin and the blood sugar (glucose) level goes very high. Treatment to control the blood glucose level is with insulin injections and a healthy diet. Other treatments aim to reduce the risk of complications. They include reducing blood pressure if it is high and advice to lead a healthy lifestyle. What is type 1 diabetes? What is type 1 diabetes? Play VideoPlayMute0:00/0:00Loaded: 0%Progress: 0%Stream TypeLIVE0:00Playback Rate1xChapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Subtitles undefined settings, opens undefined settings dialog captions and subtitles off, selected Audio TrackFullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Diabetes mellitus (just called diabetes from now on) occurs when the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood becomes higher than normal. There are two main types of diabetes. These are called type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually first develops in children or young adults. In the UK about 1 in 300 people develop type 1 diabetes at some stage. With type 1 diabet Continue reading >>
Dogs Cured Of Type 1 Diabetes
Beagles no longer showed diabetes symptoms following a single course of gene therapy. Gene therapy has successfully banished type 1 diabetes in dogs, the first time this treatment has worked to treat the disease in a large animal, according to a study published online in the journal Diabetes earlier this month (February 1). For the study, Spanish researchers induced diabetes in beagles between 6 months and 1 year old. They then injected the dogs’ skeletal muscles with viruses carrying genes for insulin and glucokinase, an enzyme involved in processing glucose. Following the treatment, the researcher confirmed that the genes had been incorporated into the DNA of the dogs, which were able to regulate their own blood sugar levels without medical help. And when they exercised, they no longer had episodes of hypoglycemia. Dogs that were injected with viruses carrying only the gene for insulin or only the gene for glucokinase continued to have symptoms of diabetes, indicating that the genes acted in concert. Following more tests in dogs, the researchers hope to try out the treatment in humans. But sources warned New Scientist that the treatment might not work the same way in humans that it did in canines, as the dogs’ diabetes was induced by chemically destroying pancreas cells that produce insulin. In naturally occurring type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells. Still, “this work is an interesting new avenue which may give us a completely new type of treatment,” Matthew Hobbs, head of research at Diabetes UK, told New Scientist. Continue reading >>
Spontaneous Complete Remission Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus In An Adult – Review And Case Report
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune condition that causes progressive destruction of beta cells of the pancreas. It is a cellular-mediated autoimmune process occurring in genetically predisposed individuals, with a possible component of environmental triggers (1). The initial presentation of T1DM occurs more commonly in childhood or adolescence compared to adult life (2, 3). Clinical manifestations usually occur several years after the destruction process has begun (4). In newly diagnosed T1DM patients, after the initiation of insulin therapy, many patients tend to notice a decrease in insulin requirements. This occurs as part of the natural progression of the disease due to the transient recovery of beta cell function and normalization of insulin sensitivity (5, 6). This transient period of improved beta cell function is often referred to as the ‘honeymoon period’ (7). Based on the insulin requirements, the honeymoon phase is categorized further into either partial remission or complete remission. Most of the patients that experience a honeymoon period do require some amount of insulin, although this might be drastically reduced compared to prior doses. This is referred to as partial remission. Complete remission refers to patients with well-controlled blood glucose levels without requiring any insulin or oral anti-diabetic medication. Complete remission is extremely rare compared to partial remission (8–11). Pathogenesis of this recovery is not clearly understood. Some hypotheses link this recovery to the possible involvement of IL-10-dependent T-cell regulatory pathways (8–11). Honeymoon period has been more extensively studied in the paediatric population, compared to the adult population, leading to limited information regarding honeymoon phase Continue reading >>
Diabetes Type 1 - Stem Cells Treatment Clinic
Diabetes Type 1 Stem Cell Treatment Diabetes is currently one of the most widespread diseases, and its prevalence is rapidly growing around the world. It is a common life-long condition and the number of children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is increasing. For many, this means living with daily insulin injections and the possibility of long-term health damage. What is type one diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that results from T cell autoimmunity mediated destruction of the vast majority of insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells. Therefore, the development of new therapies to control T cell autoimmunity and to preserve the remaining β-cell function is of great significance in managing patients with type 1 diabetes. Those diagnosed with T1DM are relying on exogenous insulin. Adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells have been shown in many studies as potential cure for T1DM, which could not only address the need for β-cell replacement but also the regulation of the autoimmune response to cells which produce insulin. Mesenchymal stem cells are able to control T cell autoimmunity. In both forms of diabetes, unless treated, blood sugar will rise uncontrollably, and over time can lead to complications such as cardiovascular, liver and kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy), as well as circulatory problems that may require limb amputation, vision loss, blindness (diabetic retinopathy), and nerve damage (diabetic neuropathy). How is type one diabetes treated at the moment? People with type 1 diabetes must test their blood sugar levels several times a day and inject insulin when it is needed. Unfortunately, it can still be hard to keep the blood sugar level normal, even with regular injections. Over time, a high level can cause serious damage to the hear Continue reading >>
Boy Is 'cured' Of Type 1 Diabetes Through Complimentary Therapies
In 2008, The Incurables, a U.S reality television series about people who overcome series medical conditions, aired an episode about a boy called Zachary Swerdlow who suffers from type 1 diabetes. Zachary’s parents, who prefer homeopathic solutions to Western medication, began investigating alternative treatments shortly after his diagnosis. They consulted a natural pharmacist, Robert Kress, who believed that Zachary’s diabetes was caused by infections and parasites in the body, placing his internal organs under strain. Despite Kress's beliefs, it is important to note that the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not yet fully understood. Zachary was placed on a strict diet aimed at detoxifying his liver. Kress believed that this would reduce the strain on Zachary’s “overworked” pancreas, enabling it to function better. He was also advised to apply regular mudpacks to the areas of the abdomen in which his kidneys are located. This was intended to remove harmful toxins from the kidneys. Zachary was also taken to Alan Maynard, a chiropractor who informed the family that the vertebrae in Zachary’s spine responsible for the pancreas, were significantly out of alignment. Maynard began treating Zachary with the aim of “addressing the cause of his diabetes”. While Zachary’s parents believed that when Zachary swam in a salt water pool, it would have the most significant effect on lowering his blood sugar. Using the above methods, amongst others, Zachary’s parents claim that he no longer requires insulin. Watch some of the footage from the episode here: Did alternative therapies cure Zachary? Whilst it cannot be denied that these different therapies may have helped to improve Zachary’s blood glucose control, they cannot be suggested as a cure for type 1 diabet Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Facts
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s pancreas stops producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood-sugar levels. T1D develops when the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system. The cause of this attack is still being researched, however scientists believe the cause may have genetic and environmental components. There is nothing anyone can do to prevent T1D. Presently, there is no known cure. Who T1D affects Type 1 diabetes (sometimes known as juvenile diabetes) affects children and adults, though people can be diagnosed at any age. With a typically quick onset, T1D must be managed with the use of insulin—either via injection or insulin pump. Soon, people who are insulin dependent may also be able to use artificial pancreas systems to automatically administer their insulin. How T1D is managed Type 1 diabetes is a 24/7 disease that requires constant management. People with T1D continuously and carefully balance insulin intake with eating, exercise and other activities. They also measure blood-sugar levels through finger pricks, ideally at least six times a day, or by wearing a continuous glucose monitor. Even with a strict regimen, people with T1D may still experience dangerously high or low blood-glucose levels that can, in extreme cases, be life threatening. Every person with T1D becomes actively involved in managing his or her disease. Insulin is not a cure While insulin therapy keeps people with T1D alive and can help keep blood-glucose levels within recommended range, it is not a cure, nor does it prevent the possibility of T1D’s serious effects. The outlook for treatments and a cure Although T1D is a serious and challenging disease, long-term management options cont Continue reading >>
