Does T1 slow down aging?

[david4503]

stem cells ? Wouldn't our immune system kill them too, even if we could grow another pancreas?

Not if they can figure out the exact process to make best use of them. If a stem cell is given the individual patient’s genetic information, that cell should be able to function as a beta cell and produce insulin in a natural way. There would be no rejection problem because the immune system would recognize that beta cell as your own, not an invader.

 

[Antje77]

There would be no rejection problem because the immune system would recognize that beta cell as your own, not an invader.

I think she meant that having T1 means our immune system already killed off our very own beta cells, so why wouldn't it do the same thing with the new beta cells?

 

[david4503]

Nobody knows for sure what the autoimmune response would be to a fresh set of customized beta cells but the thinking is that the killing of beta cells requires a trigger, like a virus, and they may be able to deal with that.

 

[Zhnyaka]

Nobody knows for sure what the autoimmune response would be to a fresh set of customized beta cells but the thinking is that the killing of beta cells requires a trigger, like a virus, and they may be able to deal with that.

Do I understand correctly that once provoked autoimmune aggression will not last a lifetime?

 

[Jaylee]

I hear this very often from diabetics themselves, but I have never seen a serious scientific work on this topic (if you have a link, please share it). When I have to show my passport or tell people how old I am, they are usually very surprised that I am so old, and recently I was told that I look like a schoolgirl, although I graduated from school 10 years ago. Is that the case with you too?

Hi,

Oddly, I’ve noticed (or tripped over.) online the occasional fixation regarding exogenous insulin (commonly associated with T1.) from the misguided that are not even in a diabetic range A1c wise? (There is basically no DX regarding the person enquiring.)
So why would someone wish to obtain insulin when not needed? (Or any other diabetic related drug in that case. Insulin isn’t the only one.)
“Freudian slips” sometimes suggest this topic title as the “reasoning.” A misconception derived from somewhere it has “advantages” on slowing down the ageing process.

 

[Zhnyaka]

Hi,

Oddly, I’ve noticed (or tripped over.) online the occasional fixation regarding exogenous insulin (commonly associated with T1.) from the misguided that are not even in a diabetic range A1c wise? (There is basically no DX regarding the person enquiring.)

I thought that the lack of insulin slows down aging... I don't know where this thought came from, but I remember that it was often repeated by diabetics themselves, and I notice for myself that I don't look my age

So why would someone wish to obtain insulin when not needed? (Or any other diabetic related drug in that case. Insulin isn’t the only one.)
“Freudian slips” sometimes suggest this topic title as the “reasoning.” A misconception derived from somewhere it has “advantages” on slowing down the ageing process.

I wonder if people who want to take insulin without having diabetes know that this medicine can lead to death? I'm scared for them, because, unlike us, no one taught them to cope with it

 

[Jaylee]

I thought that the lack of insulin slows down aging... I don't know where this thought came from, but I remember that it was often repeated by diabetics themselves, and I notice for myself that I don't look my age

I wonder if people who want to take insulin without having diabetes know that this medicine can lead to death? I'm scared for them, because, unlike us, no one taught them to cope with it

I’m being very careful how to discuss this on an open forum. By the same token others under misguidance can & do equate rapid unhealthy weight loss due to insulin omitting or even pre DX with a failing pancreas, sadly to slowing the ageing process.

 

[Zhnyaka]

I’m being very careful how to discuss this on an open forum. By the same token others under misguidance can & do equate rapid unhealthy weight loss due to insulin omitting or even pre DX with a failing pancreas, sadly to slowing the ageing process.

especially for such people: you will die if you do this!

 

[david4503]

Do I understand correctly that once provoked autoimmune aggression will not last a lifetime?

No, the evidence is that as things stand with Type1, it will. But a successful cure using stem cells would sidestep this problem, preventing an autoimmune response that kills the new beta cells.

 

[Zhnyaka]

No, the evidence is that as things stand with Type1, it will. But a successful cure using stem cells would sidestep this problem, preventing an autoimmune response that kills the new beta cells.

Sorry I'm being so dumb, but what in this case will prevent the immune system from attacking new beta cells?

 

[david4503]

Sorry I'm being so dumb, but what in this case will prevent the immune system from attacking new beta cells?

Two things.

The first is clear. The new beta cells would look to your immune system like your own original beta cells and so it wouldn’t automatically attack them as foreign tissue, as with current beta cell transplants which require immunosuppressant drugs..

The second thing is going to be harder (but the first part won’t work without the second). They’ll have to figure out what triggers the immune system to begin the attack against the beta cells we’re born with. There might be different triggers, like different viruses or other things in the environment. Once they understand how these triggers work, they can create a way to prevent them from restarting the autoimmune attack and destroying our new beta cells.

The second part may take longer to solve than just creating new working beta cells. But it all should work given enough time and money for research, Hope this was a little clearer.

 

[Zhnyaka]

Hope this was a little clearer.

Yes, it's clearer now. Thank you very much!

They’ll have to figure out what triggers the immune system to begin the attack against the beta cells we’re born with. There might be different triggers, like different viruses or other things in the environment. Once they understand how these triggers work, they can create a way to prevent them from restarting the autoimmune attack and destroying our new beta cells.

If they understand this, with an early diagnosis of diabetes, we will be able to cure a person without insulin and operations, won't we? Although T1 is usually diagnosed too late when we are already in a precomatous state (because who will worry that the child just often wants to drink) I wonder how much time passes between the onset of autoimmune aggression and the diagnosis of the disease

 

[EllieM]

Yes, it's clearer now. Thank you very much!


If they understand this, with an early diagnosis of diabetes, we will be able to cure a person without insulin and operations, won't we? Although T1 is usually diagnosed too late when we are already in a precomatous state (because who will worry that the child just often wants to drink) I wonder how much time passes between the onset of autoimmune aggression and the diagnosis of the disease

I know about ten years ago they were doing a study on T1 relatives who had various gene markers (and might therefore be more susceptible to becoming T1) to see if various treatments would stop them from developing it. My daughter tried enrolling, but she didn't have the right markers to take part so I don't know what the end result was. But there are/were studies on the prevention aspect.

 

[david4503]

In line with what EllieM has said, the process of understanding the disease better and developing a cure may very well also lead to preventing it in the first place. So yes, in that case there might be no need to even begin insulin therapy.

All this research, particularly with stem cells, looks very promising. But it’s still going to require a big breakthrough — namely, figuring out how this disease gets started, from the genetics to the triggers. Mind you, the basic theory they have isn’t proven but it appears pretty solid.

 

[Zhnyaka]

I know about ten years ago they were doing a study on T1 relatives who had various gene markers (and might therefore be more susceptible to becoming T1) to see if various treatments would stop them from developing it. My daughter tried enrolling, but she didn't have the right markers to take part so I don't know what the end result was. But there are/were studies on the prevention aspect.

perhaps you are referring to this research (I don't know if it is possible to post a link on the forum) https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/24183

do I understand correctly that you inherited diabetes, but your diabetes did not affect your children at all? has pregnancy had a big impact on your health? If I ask something unacceptable, just don't answer.

 

[EllieM]

do I understand correctly that you inherited diabetes, but your diabetes did not affect your children at all? has pregnancy had a big impact on your health? If I ask something unacceptable, just don't answer.

No problem, I am happy to talk about it. My mother was T1 with no family history whatsoever. My understanding is that the children of a T1 mother have something like a 1 in 30 chance of diabetes (or thereabouts) so much more likely than someone without a family history but still pretty unlikely.

My two T1 pregnancies were fine, though I had some scary hypos (no cgms were available then and I lost some hypo awareness during the pregnancy). My daughter is 27 and my son 30 and so far they are both T1 free. I suppose they could get LADA when older but honestly they are much more at risk of T2 when much older (lots of old age T2 in grandparents). I didn't notice any downside on my health after the pregnancies, (other than the stress of sleepless nights with newborns ).

I have to praise the UK NHS for the fantastic way they looked after me during my pregnancies. I know my mother (T1 and pregnant before glucometers) had a much more difficult time.

perhaps you are referring to this research (I don't know if it is possible to post a link on the forum) https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/24183

It's certainly possible to post links (unless you are a very new poster who might post spam), but I don't think that link works.

 

[Zhnyaka]

Wow, cool! TWO pregnancies and everything is fine with you and the children. If the information in your profile is correct, then you got pregnant for the first time at 30. I've always been told that if I want to give birth, it's better to do it before 25 and only once. Although I decided for myself that I would not have children. It always seemed to me that if I got pregnant, it was almost the same as death. I have often heard that women went blind after pregnancy or became disabled for another reason, and children were born and immediately fell into a hypoglycemic coma.

I don't think that link works.

I'll try to attach a pdf

 

[EllieM]

I've always been told that if I want to give birth, it's better to do it before 25 and only once. Although I decided for myself that I would not have children. It always seemed to me that if I got pregnant, it was almost the same as death. I have often heard that women went blind after pregnancy or became disabled for another reason, and children were born and immediately fell into a hypoglycemic coma.

I think that that may well have been true in my mother's day (pre glucometer) but now the treatment (at least in country's with good medical systems) is very much better. A lot of problems are avoided by getting good blood glucose control before the start of the pregnancy and monitoring carefully during it. If cgms had been around 30 years ago I quite possibly would have gone for a third child.

It's true that babies of T1 mums sometimes have slightly low blood sugars at birth, both mine were snatched away for a quick top up feed to raise their bgs, but then went on to breastfeed successfully. I am extremely sceptical about the coma, though.

There are plenty of successful pregnancy stories on the pregnancy subforum here.

 

[Zhnyaka]

There are plenty of successful pregnancy stories on the pregnancy subforum here.

I can't make up my mind to have a cat, let alone a child But I can't help but admit the fact that I am inspired by how well everything is with you

 

[david4503]

I can't make up my mind to have a cat, let alone a child But I can't help but admit the fact that I am inspired by how well everything is with you

You could always start with a cat and go from there.