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Could this be a game changer?

Fairygodmother said:
It really does sound fantastic, but the research is in the early stages. Just hope it’s completed before I pop my clogs.
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Not to sound too pessimistic, but research into 'smart insulin' has been going on for at least 20 years.
£50 million sounds a lot, but only £2.7 million of this is going to research of smart insulin.
 
SW_Kaizer said:
Any idea how you can sign up to trial this ?
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I don't see anything in the article to suggest they are anywhere near to this. This is funding research and most research projects never get to the stage of testing on humans.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” ― Thomas A. Edison ​

 
A friend and colleague of mine has been on the insulin pump for about six months now - that seems to be a game changer in all the ways that matter - I do worry a little about the phrase in the article...

"Glucose-responsive – so-called smart – insulins are regarded as the holy grail of insulin as they would come as close to a cure for type 1 diabetes as any drug therapy could."

Part of the issues here is viewing it all as a thing needing drug therapy.
The main benefit I've seen for my colleague is that with the better, near instant and small dose, control; he has been able to be more confident about looking at diet as well as drugs - the amount of insulin he is dosing with is so much less than it was, for better control of Glucose - that has to point to much better long term health.
I worry that these kind of holy grail solutions just give hope of a "we can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence" - also; given how complex and all pervasive the effects of Insulin are, I can't begin to imagine the effect of having insulin circulating, but only becoming effective in the presence of sugar...
 
These ideas have been around for ages and that's al they are at the moment. Previous research such as this one from the MIT, uncovered a bunch of not unexpected risks, so hopefully the next generation will move us forward. Personally, I think the stem cell derived beta-cell solution is much closer to being deployed than this is.
 
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Chris24Main said:
I worry that these kind of holy grail solutions just give hope of a "we can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence"
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I suppose everybody's holy grail is different, but for me it would not be so I could eat anything I wanted without consequences, but if I could just forget about diabetes and didn't need to plan so much in advance and if I was allowed to change my mind.

I watch a video of Scott Hanselman (who has a pump) where he said that he decided for one day to tweet every single time he thought about diabetes and it was 174 times! So while it would help, I don't think a pump would be my holy grail.
 
I agree that it would be pretty wonderful to be able to not have to think about Diabetes... no argument there... :headphone:
 
Chris24Main said:
I worry that these kind of holy grail solutions just give hope of a "we can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence"
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T1 is not a dietary condition, we simply don't produce an essential hormone that non diabetics produce as needed, so we have to supplement what's not there.
As a T2, I get you are wary of high circulating insulin levels, as T2 is often preceded by decades of overproducing insulin. Not so in T1's (unless they have IR as well, different story).
If there would be an insulin, or a pump for that matter that could perfectly mimic a healthy pancreas, resulting in perfectly normal BG levels, there would be basically no difference between a T1 and a non diabetic.

All fine if you feel that everyone, diabetic or not should be mindful of what they eat (if irritating, nothing more annoying than people giving unasked for dietary advice), but you specifically aim your remark at diabetics. Why would you feel that someone with an autoimmune condition should live healthier than the general population? Sounds like being punished for something out of your control.
 
I 100% agree with you @Antje77 . I think, however, what @Chris24Main is getting at is the issue of insulin resistance. I read somewhere that up to 45% of the general population has some degree of insulin resistance. Whilst those with T2D will very likely have IR, and it is the main driver of T2D, it is also a condition that can impact those with T1D and , I hate to say it, a diet high in carbs can increase your chances of having to deal with adipose fat and the likelyhood of decreasing insulin sensitivity ie IR. Not so much whilst we are young, but as we age. Obviously, with decreased insulin sensitivity means higher doses of insulin to counter the IR. :cool:
edited to say apologies for slightly derailing this thread on smart insulin.
 
Melgar said:
I hate to say it, a diet high in carbs can increase your chances of having to deal with adipose fat and the likelyhood of decreasing insulin sensitivity ie IR.
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True. But this is exactly the same in non diabetics as in T1's, especially if they are using this hypothetical smart insulin or a perfect pump.
Chris24Main said:
I worry that these kind of holy grail solutions just give hope of a "we can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence"
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The consequences would be the same for non diabetics and T1's. So why single out the exogenous insulin users, the non diabetics have higher levels of insulin circulating as well eating 'what they want' (depending on what they want to eat of course).
"We can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence" will be true, if ever such an insulin would be developed. Except for the consequences as would be seen in the non diabetic population.
Having a stupid chronic illness doesn't mean we are somehow obliged to live healthier than people without it.

Also, many people live healthily (and thin) to a very old age on a diet high in carbs, including occasional splurges on foods that are generally accepted as unhealthy. Apparently not everyone is susceptible to IR.

As for myself and on topic, even if they do develop those smart insulins, or the perfect pump/CGM combination, I don't believe it would help me much.
I'm fat and I do have IR and I need to prebolus my insulin by at least half an hour, preferably more for even low carb meals. An insulin (or pump) that reacts to current BG will be too slow to prevent spikes for me. I'm pretty sure I was well on my way to developing T2 when T1 happened, so I'm in both camps.
 
@Antje77 , And that is the point. IR is a problem for everyone, not just TD2. I don’t want to derail, this probably needs its own discussion re DM in general.
 
Melgar said:
@Antje77 , And that is the point. IR is a problem for everyone, not just TD2. I don’t want to derail, this probably needs its own discussion re DM in general.
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Agree, that's a different discussion.
My issue was with the statement that it would be worrisome if T1's ate exactly as non T1's with this perfect insulin, only because they have T1.
 
Lynne C J said:
But knowing how blood sugars vary up and down, would we trust a once a week injection? Maybe for basal but not for bolus.
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Some sort of basal that has the ability to "suspend" if BGs dropped at night. (for instance)

Would be great.
 
Chris24Main said:
I worry that these kind of holy grail solutions just give hope of a "we can all eat whatever we want, there will be no consequence" - also; given how complex and all pervasive the effects of Insulin are, I can't begin to imagine the effect of having insulin circulating, but only becoming effective in the presence of sugar...
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I can see the principle of GRIs possibly dealing with liver dump or FotF.
Maybe proteins broken down??

But I see your point.
It’s a little like what happened to George Best. After the transplant.. ;)
 
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