This Common Medication Can Actually Prevent Type 1 Diabetes
This Common Medication Can Actually Prevent Type 1 Diabetes There's new hope for stopping Type 1 diabetes in its tracks after researchers discovered an existing drug can prevent the condition from developing and the same techniques used here could also be applied to other diseases. The drug in question is methyldopa , currently on the World Health Organisation's list of essential drugs having been used for more than 50 years to treat high blood pressure in pregnant women and children. By running an analysis of thousands of drugs through a supercomputer, the team of researchers was able to pinpoint methyldopa as a drug able to block the DQ8 molecule . The antigen is found in a proportion of the population and has been implemented in auto immune responses. It appears in some 60 percent of people at risk from developing Type 1 diabetes. "This is the first personalised treatment for Type 1 diabetes prevention," says one of the team , Aaron Michels from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. "This is very significant development." Based on the supercomputer calculations, the scientists found that methyldopa not only blocked the binding of DQ8 but didn't harm the immune functions of other cells, which is often the case with drugs that interfere with the body's immune system. Overall, the research covered a period of 10 years after the supercomputer analysis, the drug was tested in mice and in 20 patients with Type 1 diabetes through a clinical trial. The new drug is taken orally, three times a day. While it's not a full cure ( work on that continues ), methyldopa could help delay, or even limit the onset of Type 1 diabetes a disease that currently starts mostly in childhood. "We can now predict with almost 100 percent accuracy who is likely to get Type 1 diabete Continue reading >>
Stopping Type 1 Diabetes: Attempts To Prevent Or Cure Type 1 Diabetes In Man
Type 1 diabetes—or, more accurately, type 1A diabetes—is thought to arise from selective immunologically mediated destruction of the insulin-producing β-cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans with consequent insulin deficiency (1). This occurs in individuals in whom genetic susceptibility outweighs genetic protection and is probably initiated by environmental factors not yet clearly defined. The disease arises via a cellular-mediated immune process, presumably a specific reaction to one or more β-cell proteins (autoantigens). There is consequent progressive impairment of β-cell function and apparent decline in β-cell mass. A secondary humoral immune response is characterized by the appearance of autoantibodies that serve as markers of the immune damage to β-cells. This insidious type 1 diabetes disease process generally evolves over a variable period of years (Fig. 1). The decline in β-cell function—and presumably in mass—is evidenced metabolically by loss of first-phase insulin response to an intravenous glucose challenge and later by the appearance of impairment in glycemic regulation, which is manifested as dysglycemia either as impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, or “indeterminate” glucose levels (values >200 mg/dl [11.1 mmol/l] at 30, 60, or 90 min during an oral glucose tolerance test). Ultimately, the clinical syndrome of type 1 diabetes becomes evident when the majority of β-cell function has been lost and presumably most β-cells have been destroyed; at this juncture, frank hyperglycemia supervenes. Although that broad sequence can be articulated, there are still gaps in many of the details. Further understanding of the nature of the disease process will facilitate the design of intervention strategies aimed at abrogat Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Prevention
Currently, there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers are still working to fully understand what causes or triggers type 1; without fully understanding that, it’s difficult to prevent the disease. Type 1 diabetes isn’t like type 2 diabetes, which at times can be prevented by taking good care of your body—watching your diet and staying physically fit and active. You can learn more about type 2 prevention in our article. With type 1 diabetes, you can stave off or prevent the short-term and long-term complications of the disease. By reading our article on type 1 complications, you can learn more about how to stave off or even avoid eye, nerve, kidney, and heart disease. Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Currently there is no way to prevent , but ongoing studies are exploring ways to prevent diabetes in those who are most likely to get it. People who have a parent, brother, or sister with type 1 diabetes and are willing to participate in one of these studies should talk with their doctors. People who have type 1 diabetes can help prevent or delay the development of complications by keeping their blood sugar in a target range. They also need regular medical checkups to detect early signs of complications. If complications are treated early, the damage may be stopped, slowed, or possibly reversed. People who have other health problems along with diabetes, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, need to treat those conditions. Also, not smoking can reduce the risk of complications. Having other health problems can increase the risk for complications from diabetes. Get a flu vaccine every year. When you have the flu, it can be harder to manage your blood sugar. It's a good idea to get a pneumococcal vaccine for pneumonia and a vaccine for hepatitis B. You may need or want additional immunizations if certain situations raise your chance for exposure to disease. Continue reading >>
Symptoms, Treatment And Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
Written by Roshanak Monzavi, MD, assistant professor and director of Fellowship, Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Diabetes mellitus is a group of conditions in which a person has high glucose (sugar), either because the body cannot make enough insulin to store glucose, or because it cannot utilize the produced insulin adequately. Most people who have diabetes have type 2 diabetes, when the body cannot utilize the insulin very well. However, while it is less common, as many as 1 in 500 people have type 1 diabetes (T1D). Most children who are diagnosed with diabetes have T1D. T1D is an autoimmune condition. The body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells (beta cells) in the pancreas by mistake and destroys them. As these cells get destroyed and cannot produce sufficient insulin, the person with T1D develops high glucose in the blood. A person with T1D can eventually get sick and dehydrated if not diagnosed in a timely manner. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes The classic symptoms of T1D are: Increased urination Thirst Unexplained weight loss Lack of energy If symptoms continue without diagnosis and therapy, a person with T1D can develop: Vomiting Abdominal pain Problems breathing Treatment The main treatment for T1D is insulin, either by injections or through an insulin pump. Since insulin is a protein, it cannot be given in the form of a tablet or liquid syrup by mouth, as the digestive enzymes in the stomach will break it down and it will not be effective by the time it is absorbed in the blood. People with T1D need to learn how to calculate their carbohydrate intake and how to check their glucose level. They also need to learn how to calculate the insulin dose they need each time based on their glucose leve Continue reading >>
Is It Possible To Prevent Or Delay Type 1 Diabetes?
A partnership between JDRF and Janssen Pharmaceuticals seeks ways to intercept the disease before it progresses. What if there was a way to determine exactly who would develop type 1 diabetes (T1D) and doctors could intervene to prevent it altogether or at least delay the onset by years? JDRF, a leading research advocacy organization, and the Disease Interception Accelerator (DIA) group of Janssen Pharmaceuticals announced a joint venture earlier this year to take on this challenge.1 The goal is to identify the root cause of T1D and intercept its progression to disease before symptoms arise. There have been many questions about the actual cause of T1D. Work in recent years suggests there is a window of opportunity to stop or delay the disease before the onset of clinical symptoms of the disease.2,3 The autoimmune response directed against beta cells is suggested to be secondary to tissue damage and unrelated to disease pathogenesis.4 The presence of antibodies against the islets of Langerhans that were detected in the serum of patients diagnosed with T1D, but not in healthy individuals, led to the suggestion of the autoimmune etiology of T1D.4 Although T1D has been referred to by many names, such as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, the treatment has always been the same: insulin. T1D is a pancreatic beta cell specific disease that results in absolute insulin deficiency.4,5 Data from the United Kingdom suggest life expectancy of adults with T1D is reduced by up to 13 years.6,7 The symptoms of T1D are similar to type 2 diabetes, including frequent urination and feeling thirsty, hungry, or tired. Additionally, with T1D, there is the possibility of sudden weight loss, nausea and vomiting from the build-up of ketones in the body, and diabetic ketoacidosis.8 A Continue reading >>
Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
The pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes is conveniently summarised in terms of the postulated decline in beta cell mass as the disease process moves through its successive stages. Potential intervention strategies can be matched to each of these phases. Primary prevention Autoantibody combinations conferring a high risk of progression to diabetes typically become established within the first 3 years of life, and primary prevention should be therefore be attempted as early in life as possible; ideally soon after birth. Children born to a family affected by type 1 diabetes, especially those with high risk HLA genotypes, are most appropriate for trial interventions, and such families are highly motivated to participate. Safety is the major criterion for any form of primary prevention, since only a small percentage of those at risk this will be expected to develop diabetes. Primary prevention might be attempted by avoidance of environmental risk factors, if these could be identified with any confidence. For example, unequivocal identification of a viral cause for type 1 diabetes might lead to vaccination against the virus. Alternatively, potential risk factors could be removed from the environment, as for example by avoidance of cow's milk in early infancy. A major multinational trial known as TRIGR (Trial to Reduce IDDM in the Genetically at Risk) is currently under way to test this hypothesis.[1] Secondary prevention This is offered to individuals at increased risk of progression to diabetes, identified by a positive family history plus islet autoantibody testing, with additional measurement of first phase insulin secretion and glucose tolerance in those who have antibodies. Metabolic testing identifies those at imminent risk of progression, and helps to stage the disease pro Continue reading >>
Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
Go to: INTRODUCTION Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the β cells of the pancreatic islets are destroyed rendering the individual increasingly incapable of mounting a normal insulin response to ingested nutrients1, 2. In the early 1980's Eisenbarth enunciated the main phases in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (figure 1), a framework which continues to be useful in considering approaches to the prevention or cure of this disorder2: susceptibility to T1D is inherited through a series of genes, the most important of which relate to the HLA class II-locus on chromosome 6, with lesser contribution from a number of others, including the insulin gene, CTLA4 and others (see below). Susceptibility genes are essential, but insufficient in explaining the immune pathogenesis of TID, i.e. the majority of individuals with these susceptibility genes never develop the disorder. exposure to one or more environmental trigger(s) alters the immune system in such a way that susceptibility is converted to pathophysiology and destruction of β cells begins. Despite intensive searches for environmental triggers, the number of candidates being assessed in clinical trials remains quite small, e.g. cow's milk proteins, relative lack of vitamin D and supplementation with omega 3 fatty acids3-7. while attack on the β cells is mediated in large part by T cells, it is the presence of humoral (B cell) markers that punctuates the next phase: normal glucose homeostasis in the presence of one or more T1D-specific autoantibodies, ICA512/IA-2, IAA and GAD are the main ones available for measurement. The progression to clinical TID is highly predictable based on the number of antibodies present8. the earliest metabolic abnormality detected is loss of first phase insulin secretion in re Continue reading >>
Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by destruction of insulin-producing β cells within the pancreatic islets. It is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Incidence levels are rising worldwide. The causes of disease are multifactorial with genetic and environmental factors playing a part. There is a long pre-clinical period before the onset of overt symptoms, which may be amenable to therapeutic intervention to prevent disease. Continue reading >>
New Type 1 Diabetes Treatment And Prevention Options On The Horizon
There’s new hope on the horizon for those with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Biopharmaceutical company TetraGenetics is working on an innovative drug therapy that can stop or prevent the body’s immune system from attacking its own pancreas. How T1D Develops Most people who develop T1D do so as a result of a particular virus that triggers an exaggerated autoimmune response. In the pancreas, the cells that produce insulin are called beta cells. In people that have a particular type of gene associated with T1D, the beta cells have a quality (an antigen) that closely resembles the antigens found in the virus. When you are exposed to the virus, your immune system activates its T cells to start combating the infection by creating antibodies. However, these antibodies can’t distinguish between the beta cells and the virus cells. They look too similar, so the antibodies destroy them all in an attempt to protect against the viral infection. Unfortunately, by killing off your beta cells, your immune system has also eliminated your body’s ability to produce insulin. You are now diabetic. Both Genes and Virus Necessary for T1D to Develop There are four viruses that can cause the autoimmune cascade that results in T1D: German measles, mumps, rotavirus, and the B4 strain of the coxsackie B virus. These viruses all possess antigens that are similar to the antigens in the beta cells of the pancreas. It’s important to note that not everyone who is exposed to these viruses will develop T1D. You have to already possess the genetic makeup associated with T1D. If you do carry the T1D genes but don’t get any of these viruses, you may never actually develop the disease. You have to have both. In other words, if you do have these genes and you contract one of the viruses, then you will li Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes
Print Diagnosis Diagnostic tests include: Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin). The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes. If the A1C test isn't available, or if you have certain conditions that can make the A1C test inaccurate — such as pregnancy or an uncommon form of hemoglobin (hemoglobin variant) — your doctor may use these tests: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time and may be confirmed by repeat testing. Blood sugar values are expressed in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher suggests diabetes, especially when coupled with any of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, such as frequent urination and extreme thirst. Fasting blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) or higher on two separate tests, you have diabetes. If you're diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor may also run blood tests to check for autoantibodies that are common in type 1 diabetes. These tests help your doctor distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes when the diagnosis is uncertain. The presence of ketones — byproducts from the breakdown of fat — in your urine also suggests type 1 diab Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes In Adults: Can It Be Prevented?
Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile-onset diabetes, meaning it starts in childhood. But new studies show Type 1 is frequently being diagnosed in adults as well. A study at Exeter University in the United Kingdom found that adults are as likely as children to develop Type 1 diabetes. More than 40% of Type 1 diabetes cases occur after the age of 30, but many are misdiagnosed as Type 2. What’s the difference? Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes limit our bodies’ ability to use carbohydrate foods. In the body, carbohydrates break down into a sugar called glucose, which is our cells’ main source of energy. Normally, we need the hormone called insulin to transport glucose into the cells of the body. In Type 1 diabetes, the body no longer produces much insulin. The insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas have been destroyed. Immune cells, usually GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase) antibodies, or sometimes other antibodies, have attacked them. The reason for the attack is unknown. People with Type 1 diabetes are dependent on injected or infused insulin to get glucose into their cells to stay alive. This “autoimmune” destruction of cells usually happens to children, but we now know it can happen at any age. In Type 2 diabetes, the body still produces insulin, but the body’s cells don’t cooperate with it. They have become “insulin resistant,” meaning the body needs extra insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Type 2 used to be called “adult-onset diabetes” or “non-insulin dependent diabetes.” Those names are now outdated. People age 10 and younger are getting Type 2, and many people with Type 2 take insulin. The difference between types is important because the treatments are different. Type 1 is treated with various types of insulin. Type Continue reading >>
Prevention & Treatment Of Diabetes
If you have a family history or other risk factors for diabetes or if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, there are a number of healthy living tips you can follow to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, these same tips can slow the progression of the disease. Many studies show that lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy and increasing physical activity can dramatically reduce the progression of type 2 diabetes and are important to controlling type 1 diabetes. These lifestyle changes can help minimize other risk factors as well, such as high blood pressure and blood cholesterol, which can have a tremendous impact on people with diabetes. In many instances, lifestyle changes must be complemented by a regimen of medications to control blood glucose levels, high blood pressure and cholesterol as well as to prevent heart attack and stroke. By working with your health care team, you can set personal treatment goals, monitor your critical health numbers, and successfully manage diabetes while preventing complications from diabetes. This content was last reviewed August 2015. Continue reading >>
Primary And Secondary Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
Primary and secondary prevention of Type 1 diabetes Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA J. S. Skyler, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; The publisher's final edited version of this article is available at Diabet Med See other articles in PMC that cite the published article. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an immunologically mediated disease, the end result of which is pancreatic islet -cell destruction [ 1 , 2 ]. Other articles in this review issue address the origins of the disease, including the immunogenotype and the role of environmental factors responsible for initiating the immune response. That initial immune response may engender additional secondary and tertiary responses, which collectively result in impairment of -cell function, progressive destruction of -cells and consequent evolution of Type 1 diabetes. This insidious process evolves over a variable amount of timeeven many years in some individuals. The eventual overt manifestation of clinical symptoms becomes apparent only when most -cells have lost function and presumably have been destroyed. If Type 1 diabetes is an immunologically mediated disease, then immune intervention should alter the natural history of the disease and potentially abrogate the clinical syndrome. The evidence that an immune mechanism may be important in the aetiopathogenesis of human Type 1 diabetes, coupled with the success of immune intervention in animal models, has led to clinical trials of various immune intervention therapies in Type 1 diabetes. Although prevention of Type 1 diabetes is the logical ultima Continue reading >>
- An Overview of Herbal Products and Secondary Metabolites Used for Management of Type Two Diabetes
- Olive oil in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and intervention trials
- Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes: Causes, Signs, Symptoms & Prevention
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes (previously called insulin-dependent or juvenile diabetes) is usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults, but it can develop at any age. If you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas isn’t making insulin or is making very little. Insulin is a hormone that enables blood sugar to enter the cells in your body where it can be used for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get into cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2—about 5% of people with diabetes have type 1. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes, but it can be managed by following your doctor’s recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, controlling your blood sugar, getting regular health checkups, and getting diabetes self-management education. Shakiness Nervousness or anxiety Sweating, chills, or clamminess Irritability or impatience Dizziness and difficulty concentrating Hunger or nausea Blurred vision Weakness or fatigue Anger, stubbornness, or sadness If your child has type 1 diabetes, you’ll be involved in diabetes care on a day-to-day basis, from serving healthy foods to giving insulin injections to watching for and treating hypoglycemia (low blood sugar; see below). You’ll also need to stay in close contact with your child’s health care team; they will help you understand the treatment plan and how to help your child stay healthy. Much of the information that follows applies to children as well as adults, and you can also click here for comprehensive information about managing your child’s type 1 diabetes. Causes Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistak Continue reading >>
