Send Diabetes Into Remission Through Weight Loss
Diabetes can go into remission by losing weight and keeping the pounds off.
A new study also shows that this can work for people who have had type 2 diabetes for up to 10 years.
Not gaining the weight back may be a key to remaining free of the disease and its serious health complications, according to research from Newcastle University. Left untreated, diabetes can damage the nerves, kidneys and eyes. It can also lead to heart disease and stroke.
“What we have shown is that it is possible to reverse your diabetes, even if you have had the condition for a long time, up to around 10 years,” said Roy Taylor, Professor of Medicine and Metabolism at Newcastle University in a news release. “If you have had the diagnosis for longer than that, then don’t give up hope – major improvement in blood sugar control is possible.
“The study also answered the question that people often ask me – if I lose the weight and keep the weight off, will I stay free of diabetes? The simple answer is yes!”
Losing Weight and Diabetes
The study adds to a growing stack of research that shows people who lose weight and fat from their pancreas are able to reverse their diagnosis. When fat leaves the pancreas, insulin production returns to normal, according to the news release. The study was published in the journal Diabetes Care.
People who participated in the study had type 2 diabetes from six months to nearly two years. The volunteers shed an average 31 pounds by staying on a very low-calorie diet that ranged from 600 to 700 calories a day. During the next six months, they did not put their weight back on.
Although the volunteers had lost weight, they still remained overweight or obese based on their body mass index. Despite this, they had lost enough weight to remove the fat out of the pancreas and allow normal insulin production, Taylor said.
“This supports our theory of a Personal Fat Threshold. If a person gains more weight than they personally can tolerate, then diabetes is triggered, but if they then lose that amount of weight then they go back to normal,” Taylor said. “Individuals vary in how much weight they can carry without it seeming to affect their metabolism – don’t forget that 70 percent of severely obese people do not have diabetes,” he added. “The bottom line is that if a person really wants to get rid of their type 2 diabetes, they can lose weight, keep it off and return to normal.”
Although the research is good news for people who have lived with the disease for years and want to improve their health, researchers cautioned that more study is needed. This type of weight loss approach may not be suitable for everyone.
Many people are able to manage their disease by taking medication and making lifestyle changes. Understanding how nutrition affects diabetes and blood sugar levels is an important strategy.