Could type 1 diabetes be prevented? |
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A major Scottish study is investigating if metformin, a common diabetes drug, could prevent the development of type 1 diabetes.
Researchers at the Universities of Exeter and Dundee will invite children aged five to 16 – who have a sibling or parent with type 1 diabetes – to receive a blood test. Those at high risk of the condition will then either receive metformin or placebo for four months.
If the trial is successful, it could indicate that metformin could be successfully used to tackle the development of type 1 diabetes.
This comes at the same time that a study found metformin use was associated with a lower risk of developing certain cancers in post-menopausal women.
Elsewhere, pig islet cell transplantation could be used to treat type 1 diabetes in Japan. Currently, there is a lack of human islet cell donors across the world, and if the pig islet cell transplants are successful, it could mean that more people with type 1 diabetes are eligible for islet cell transplants.
If you’re preparing to run the London Marathon this weekend (on Sunday 24 May), you’ve probably spent several weeks managing your blood glucose levels while running.
Make sure you have a read of our running page before the big day, which contains information on caring for your feet and tips on hydration. You can also have a look at how our writer Jack, who has type 1 diabetes, fared when he ran a half marathon. |
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