Yorksman
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 2,445
- Type of diabetes
- Treatment type
- Diet only
donquinn said:I am very keen to talk to people who have actually reversed or 'cured' type 2 diabetes. I am doing a study of the possibility of the potential to use diet or any other methods. I would be hugely grateful to anyone who will talk to me about their success or otherwise. I am a former Senior Research Fellow and now I am diabetic myself.
You will probably be aware of the Counterpoint Study, the Lim et al. paper, 2011, Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalisation of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21656330
Much has been written about what is meant by 'reversal' with commentary ranging between good control without the need for medication to a full and complete restoration to pre diabetes level. Sadly, the loss of beta cells cannot be restored. Loss is often quoted as around 50% by the time of diagnosis. This guesstimate however is a mean and so individuals vary widely. Whilst type 2 diabetes is normally characterised by the continued decline of the beta cell function, even where good control is achieved, Lim et al maintain that the decline can be halted. When they talk about reversal, they really mean it won't inevitably get worse, not that those lost beta cells grow back. They don't. But, you won't lose anymore, which is what is meant by continued decline.
There's always a fair amount of estimation in this as the only way to be sure is to slice open the pancreas of the patient and start counting. It's only ever been done post mortem and on rats. Roy Taylor of the Magnetic Resonance Centre at Newcastle hypothesises that the islets become blocked, reducing insulin secretion and the beta cells start dying off. Dramatic weight loss seemed to unblock these islets, first noted in patient's who underwent baryatric surgery. The paper above attempted to achieve the same effect through diet.
The Mag Res centre has recently published a follow up paper: Population response to information on reversibility of Type 2 diabetes,
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/di ... ctions.pdf
and the Mag Res centre maintains a page entitled Reversing Type 2 Diabetes at
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/di ... versal.htm