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Type 2 diabetes is estimated to affect more than one in sixteen people in the UK. Most of these are diagnosed, but there are still around half a million people who are unaware that the condition is affecting their body. When it is diagnosed, though, what can doctors do to stop it? Medication can regulate blood sugar levels, which counteracts the effects to some extent. But in a breakthrough study, scientists may have found a way to cure type 2 diabetes.
The different types of diabetes
According to the Medical Research Council, nearly four million people in the UK have diabetes. And the vast majority – around 90 percent – are suffering specifically from type 2 diabetes rather than type 1. Here’s the difference:
Type 1 diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the pancreas is damaged and cannot produce any insulin
Type 2 diabetes: A condition which develops largely due to a person’s diet and weight. The pancreas becomes unable to produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells fail to react to insulin
Some people are genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes, but it is generally brought on by long-term overweightness – increasing in likelihood with age. And much like other weight-related diseases, doctors have so far only been able to recommend lifestyle changes to reduce its impact.
A bigger problem across the pond
While type 2 diabetes is a significant problem in the UK, over in the states it’s even worse. Around 1 in 11 Americans have type 2 diabetes. And a large amount of them are suffering specifically because of insulin resistance. Touched upon above, this is where the body’s cells cannot take in insulin as normal as opposed to insufficient insulin being produced.
This prompted researchers at the University of California to search for a treatment. The team thought there might be a specific enzyme that causes cells to become resistant to insulin. They hypothesised that LMPTP, found in the liver, was the enzyme in question. And they set out to tackle it.
Medical breakthroughs
With a drug designed to stop LMPTP interacting with cells, the researchers hoped they would be able to return cells’ insulin reception to its normal state. And they were right. Tests on mice found that a daily dose of the new drug wiped out the condition – effectively curing the mice without any side effects.
The drug now needs to be tested for human use. If safe, it could be a huge boost in the fight against one of the fastest growing diseases. This is just one example of the breakthroughs that are possible with new technology in laboratories. Read more about the latest laboratory technology and how it fuels new discoveries in the article ‘Advanced Temperature Measurement for Breakthrough Medical Research’.
The different types of diabetes
According to the Medical Research Council, nearly four million people in the UK have diabetes. And the vast majority – around 90 percent – are suffering specifically from type 2 diabetes rather than type 1. Here’s the difference:
Type 1 diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the pancreas is damaged and cannot produce any insulin
Type 2 diabetes: A condition which develops largely due to a person’s diet and weight. The pancreas becomes unable to produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells fail to react to insulin
Some people are genetically predisposed to type 2 diabetes, but it is generally brought on by long-term overweightness – increasing in likelihood with age. And much like other weight-related diseases, doctors have so far only been able to recommend lifestyle changes to reduce its impact.
A bigger problem across the pond
While type 2 diabetes is a significant problem in the UK, over in the states it’s even worse. Around 1 in 11 Americans have type 2 diabetes. And a large amount of them are suffering specifically because of insulin resistance. Touched upon above, this is where the body’s cells cannot take in insulin as normal as opposed to insufficient insulin being produced.
This prompted researchers at the University of California to search for a treatment. The team thought there might be a specific enzyme that causes cells to become resistant to insulin. They hypothesised that LMPTP, found in the liver, was the enzyme in question. And they set out to tackle it.
Medical breakthroughs
With a drug designed to stop LMPTP interacting with cells, the researchers hoped they would be able to return cells’ insulin reception to its normal state. And they were right. Tests on mice found that a daily dose of the new drug wiped out the condition – effectively curing the mice without any side effects.
The drug now needs to be tested for human use. If safe, it could be a huge boost in the fight against one of the fastest growing diseases. This is just one example of the breakthroughs that are possible with new technology in laboratories. Read more about the latest laboratory technology and how it fuels new discoveries in the article ‘Advanced Temperature Measurement for Breakthrough Medical Research’.
