Is There A Cure For Diabetes?

Researchers the world over are working towards finding a cure for diabetes. Currently, no cure has surfaced, but there are treatments available to help those afflicted with this disease to live normal lives and help to decrease their symptoms.

Diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system and is metabolic in nature. The condition arises from the body's inability to manufacture insulin as in Type 1. In Type 2 diabetes, the pancreas makes insulin but the body is resistant to it.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to elevated glucose levels in the blood. The role of insulin is to decrease glucose levels by changing glucose into energy to be used by the cells for fuel. When this hormone is insufficient, glucose levels rise and the cells are deprived of fuel.

This metabolic imbalance results in increased urination and excessive thirst. These are hallmark symptoms of diabetes, which become clinically significant the longer symptoms go untreated. Untreated diabetes results in damage to the major organs of the body and eventual death from complications. Therefore, the need for a timely cure is of the essence.

Being diagnosed with diabetes is not a death sentence, however. Many people live long and productive lives in spite of having the disease. With evaluation and treatment, diabetes is quite the manageable condition provided the person takes good care of himself by monitoring blood glucose levels daily and taking their medication to keep glucose levels within normal limits.

What Are Normal Glucose Levels?

Depending on the lab conducting the results of testing, normal glucose levels fall between 70 mg/dl and 125 mg/dl. When glucose levels vary widely during the day this could signify that a problem exists. Levels below 70 mg/dl consistently is hypoglycemia, which can be fatal. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• Hunger


• Shakiness


• Nervousness


• Sweating


• Feeling light-headed


• Fatigue


• Confusion


• Difficulty speaking


• Anxiety


• Weakness

Hypoglycemia can also occur during sleep resulting in nightmares, profuse perspiration, and irritability and confusion upon awakening.

Treatment For Diabetes:

Even though there is no cure as yet, diabetes can be successfully managed through lifestyle changes such as controlling glucose levels with insulin injections, dietary changes, and increasing physical exercise.

Experimental Procedures:

Islet cell Transplant:

Islet cells are located in the pancreas. It is the beta cells inside of the islets that produce insulin. Islet transplant involve removing islet cells from a deceased donor, then injecting them into the liver of the recipient. While this procedure shows great promise, it is not yet a cure. Studies were done on 36 people who had islet transplants. After two years only five of the recipients were able to remain free of insulin injections. The hunt continues for a cure for diabetes.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT