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Is it the insulin that is damaged or the target cells?

W

WAGR57

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Location
Calgary
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Finally getting to see an endocrinologist to see me in August.

I would be interested in you views/opinions with my question below that I'll be asking the endocrinologist

The Cpetide test shows you are producing enough insulin. Insulin is given to you and your blood levels go down, would this not indicate the target cells are good and that the insulin the body makes is damaged? If your glucose level doesn't change then that would indicate the target cells are damaged, in my view.

I know eating a LCHF diet works in either case to keep your glucose at a good level. However, one is the pancreas producing flawed insulin, and the other is the target cells not working properly. Could this not mean that there is two approaches that medicine and science can take in looking for the cure?

Thanks
 
You seem to be missing out the "insulin resistance" part of the equation which means that your body is fine at producing insulin but that your cells have become resistant to it so it is less effective at lowering BG levels.

Might be worth asking for an insulin resistance test before meeting the Endo?
 
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I will start with the caveat that I am not a medical doctor so what I am about to write may be grossly simplified.

As you say, there may be two problems
- the cells that produce insulin may be damaged
- the cells that use the insulin may be damaged.

With Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease, the body destroys the cells that create the insulin so we need to inject because we create no insulin of our own so we need to inject. I guess this is the first of the problems you list.

With type 2 diabetes, the body is not able to efficiently use the insulin that the body creates: it is insulin resistant. Therefore, more insulin may be needed and this is the reason why some people with type 2 diabetes may need to inject extra insulin.

So, there are two (and more) approaches that are being considered ... for two different conditions.
 
It is not only insulin that causes the imbalance of hormones that responds to food.
If you have T2, and you still eat a carbs laden meal every day, the cycle of food, glucose levels, insulin response, insulin resistance and increased blood glucose Hba1c levels.
Low carb depending on how much you can tolerate, smaller portions, exercise tailored to suit you and keeping a record of what is happening (ie a food diary)


Keep safe.
 

Hi,

Regarding the "elusive cure?" Yep. "They" are and have been taking a multitude of approaches in laboratories based on hypothesis using rodents..
Alas, I feel when you get to see your endo, they will be more focused on "appropriate" managment of your condition.
 

Looking just at the Type 2/IR. I came across some videos/articles (which I can't seem to find right now) in these video/articles I was sure it was mentioned that that the pancreas can be producing enough insulin but it may be the insulin that is flawed and the target cells are okay in some cases. I've been stuck on this thought, I just want to know where I am with this disease for my own mental comfort.
 

Hoping the endo will be able to give me good answers to questions I have. thanks
 
Robert Lustig (an endo in the US) has done some great lectures and written a good book on the metabolic problems at a cellular level
Type 2 is just one of the diseases produced via the same pathways.
Worth a watch as he is a good communicator.
 

I 've never heard of the pancreas producing 'flawed insulin'.
The usual situations are that
A). The pancreas either doesn't produce insulin or produces too little insulin. This is known as Type1.
B). the target cells are resistant to the push effect of the insulin. Think of it a a suitcase filled with clothes into which you can just squeeze some more into it, but have to use a lot more force to do so. Where excess glucose in the bloodstream is represented by the clothes and the amount of insulin required is represented by the force applied to the suitcase. This is known as Type 2.

Some people also have both situations at the same time.

Even if your beta cells in your pancreas are producing flawed or less effective insulin, the end result is just like with Type 1 (but perhaps caused by a different reason). In typical Type 1 the beta cells have been destroyed/rendered unfunctional by an auto immune condition.

Both Type 1 and Type 2 can have improved management by adopting a Low Carb way of eating to avoid the excess glucose in the first place.
 
ianf0ster said:
Both Type 1 and Type 2 can have improved management by adopting a Low Carb way of eating to avoid the excess glucose in the first place.
Click to expand...

I would say only up to a point with type 1 as glucose is also produced independently of food, which is why we require basal whether we eat or not.
 
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