Not Sure I Can See This Working...

[Boo1979]

https://www.theguardian.com/science...jections-for-diabetics?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

[Alison54321]

Ummmm.............I just don't know what to say to that, I suspect the sort of symbiotic relationship with caffeine that the user would have to develop might be more than most people could could handle

 

[Robinredbreast]

I drink more than 3 cups of tea a day and it states it won't be anytime soon, could be another decade. I have heard all different types of cures or less invasive management for Type 1 since my diagnosis in 1989, I will probably be dead by the time that eureka moment happens ( if it ever does ) hmmmmmm

Quote :- The implant will not be ready for humans any time soon. Fussenegger believes it could be a decade before the necessary tests and trials are done to demonstrate that the approach is safe and effective. But if it does work, it could replace the regular injections that many diabetics require. “You could have your normal life back. The implant could last for six months to a year before it would need to be replaced,” said Fussenegger.

 

[Robbity]

The major flaw with this is the ignorant assumption that everyone drinks coffee, tea, or other caffeine filled drinks.. My husband (not a diabetic) never touches them and i don't drink much coffee and mosf of that's been decaff... I long ago came to the conclusion that, to misquote my late uncle, many researchers and scientists are actually often much dafter than they're stupid looking.

Robbity

 

[Bluetit1802]

It wouldn't be able to sense any caffeine in my body. I don't go near it.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

it won't be anytime soon, could be another decade.

The billion dollar development cost might make a tad on the expensive side, now or in ten years time.

The drug stimulates so-called beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin which in turn controls blood sugar levels.

Even the non working beta cells? If one has beta cells?

 

[Bluetit1802]

The drug stimulates so-called beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin which in turn controls blood sugar levels.

Isn't that what Gliclazide does, which is of no use to T1s.

 

[Grumpy ole thing]

yeehaa LARGE Irish coffee for me please...

 

[alf_Josiah]

The billion dollar development cost might make a tad on the expensive side, now or in ten years time.

The drug stimulates so-called beta cells in the pancreas to produce insulin which in turn controls blood sugar levels.

Even the non working beta cells? If one has beta cells?

I for one have beta cells and also tea cells and koffy cells.

 

[jlarsson]

It would certainly make diabetes suck less if a feasible treatment was to drink coffee or have a caffeinated chocolate bar or something.

 

[lindisfel]

It won't work for Mormons!

 

[Alison54321]

It would certainly make diabetes suck less if a feasible treatment was to drink coffee or have a caffeinated chocolate bar or something.

Not if it was the only way you could get insulin.

I can almost visualise all the threads we'd have on this forum, about how they'd drank a strong cup of coffee but still their blood glucose is too high, and someone saying, drink more, and someone else asking how strong it was, they'd be no room for anything else on the forum.

 

[bulkbiker]

It won't work for Mormons!

Not much will I fear..

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Reading this again, I am reminded of the difference between a bull and a bullock. This article is a load of the difference.

I saw the article this morning. Apart from poor proof reading when I read it (400 people instead of 400 million) there didn't seem to be much logic. Oh, and it starts with the phrase "The days of the insulin pen may be numbered" and then goes on to not talk about insulin pens at all.

The implant released GLP-1 which is normally available by injection. However there are long lasting variants which only require injection once a week. See https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-medication/incretin-mimetics.html.

So perhaps a relatively small subset of T2s who are beyond all oral medication but not yet on insulin?

The thing that really confused me was the strategy of triggering the dose by caffeine. I assume that you are on a fixed dose each day, not a variable dose controlled by testing. The implication of this is that you would have to have caffeine labelling of all food and drink, and caffeine counting applications on your mobile, to make sure that you get enough, but don't overdose. Imagine finding that you were seriously overdosing by accident because you hadn't realised that there was caffeine in a product.

Not the thing for long distance truck drivers (who allegedly have quite a high incidence of T2) if they are on Red Bull and multiple Espressos just to keep their eyes open.

This looks like a punt for more research grants.

In their defence, I can see that as a two stage strategy where you need to release a drug into the tissues or blood stream because it can't be taken orally, then having an implant and triggering it with a measured dose of another compound which can be taken orally and then passes into the blood stream can change regular injections into just taking pills.

However caffeine is in all sorts of things, so I don't think it is a suitable compound to use as a trigger.

Edit:
I am assuming that author of this piece knows very little about Diabetes. Or got very confused. Or left bits out by mistake.

There is a link at the bottom to a much earlier article
https://www.theguardian.com/science...t-could-eliminate-need-for-insulin-injections
where there is an implant which releases insulin, removing the need for injections.
Combining the chemical trigger and an insulin (not GLP-1) implant could give T1s and insulin dependant T2s a way of dosing with insulin without injections. However as far as I can see you would still have to test and decide how many pills to take.

 

[LittleGreyCat]

Just tweeted him to point this out. Not sure it will do any good.