Removing fat from pancreas can reverse type 2 diabetes, study finds

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Fat stored around the pancreas is far more important in determining the development of type 2 diabetes than overall body fat, according to new research. The study, conducted at Newcastle University, indicates that less than half a teaspoon could be enough to cause - or reverse - the development of type 2 diabetes. "We have shown that there is excess fat in the pancreas of people with type 2 diabetes, which is not present in people without diabetes," said Roy Taylor, professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle University. "If this special pool of fat is removed then the pancreas can become able to make insulin normally, and sugar control returns to normal. "I'm very excited about the findings because up to this point the failure of the cells in the pancreas to produce insulin has been mysterious. By showing we can detect a pool of fat in the pancreas, which when drained away allows the pancreas to function normally again, suddenly means we can see diabetes in startlingly simple terms," he told the Independent. Professor Taylor has previously conducted research into reversal of type 2 diabetes. He led the famous 'Newcastle diet' study, which showed that type 2 diabetes can be reversed by following a very low-calorie diet (around 600 calories per day). The diet is now popular among people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but it is a very extreme diet. It should not be followed over a long period of time, but rather for a few weeks. The trial was conducted using data from 27 participants. 18 of them had type 2 diabetes, and they were compared to nine people who were overweight but did not have type 2 diabetes. All of the participants had gastric bypass treatment for obesity, and then the diabetes patients were taken off their medication. Both groups lost around 13 per cent of their original body mass. Using MRI scans, the researchers then examined whereabouts the fat had been lost. In the diabetic group, a lot of fat was lost from the pancreas, but this was not mirrored in the non-diabetic group. Professor Taylor argues that losing 0.6 grams of fat from the pancreas can make a huge difference in people with type 2 diabetes. After losing this tiny amount of pancreatic fat, the diabetic group of participants were able to reverse their type 2 diabetes - that means they no longer needed medication and could control blood glucose levels using their own, naturally-produced insulin. "This comes across as a simple explanation for type 2 diabetes and for patients it will be a strong motivating factor in losing weight," said Taylor. "But it also presents a very clear target for future research. If you can block the uptake of fat by the pancreas, you can reverse the disease. "At present the only way to get fat out of the pancreas is to remove a very large amount from the whole body. But now it should be possible to target drugs to block fat uptake into the pancreas." Professor Taylor considers this a significant step towards a cure for type 2 diabetes, because it allows researchers to "understand what is causing the disease." Others have been critical of the findings, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. Professor Stephen O'Rahilly of Cambridge University said: "The implication that 'disappearance of fat from the pancreas' on an MRI scan has any real meaning for diabetes is largely unsubstantiated. "Fat is lost not only from fat tissue but from all the other places, like liver and muscle and pancreas where excess fat goes in some people who are obese. Also unsurprisingly, their diabetes goes away. "Losing weight in the short to medium term is not a difficult thing. There are thousands of people who have done that and hundreds of ways of doing it. The real challenge is maintaining lowered weight in the long term. "This is not addressed in this study. It is likely that the weight will start to return in most individuals and, with that, the diabetes will follow." The findings were presented at the World Diabetes Conference in Vancouver, Canada.

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dawnmc

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Well I would dispute this line 'Losing weight in the short to medium term is not a difficult thing. Its bloody hard, I lost 2lb doing the 'Newcastle' waste of time for me, but and I say but it might work for others.
 
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Brunneria

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Well I would dispute this line 'Losing weight in the short to medium term is not a difficult thing. Its bloody hard, I lost 2lb doing the 'Newcastle' waste of time for me, but and I say but it might work for others.

In total agreement.
And since 90+% of dieters regain the weight they lost, plus a bit, within 2-5 years, then the benefits seem to be short term.

Unless, of course, people manage to be the less than 10% who keep the weight off.

But the odds are bad.
 
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AndBreathe

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I think it's such a shame the Daily Mail chose to use the following headline for this article:

"Losing just ONE gram of fat could cure Type 2 diabetes: Process unclogs the pancreas to kick-start insulin production again"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...t-insulin-production-again.html#ixzz3tBAAnKYS

Whilst it seems to be almost a quote from Professor Taylor, in context it's such a bad statement. It might be true, but for most it's probably not the case.
 
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SunnyExpat

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I guess it depends how badly you want to beat diabetes.
I chose to lose weight, and it stays off. My diabetes is now controlled very well.

But if you don't believe you're capable of maintaining control, after losing weight, and envisage piling weight back on, it's not the way to go for you.

But, if you can do it, losing weight is always good.
 
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zand

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@SunnyExpat How lovely that you can simply choose to lose weight and you manage it. For some of us it isn't about willpower or maintaining control , it's about our bodies simply not responding to weight loss plans. It's so very hard.
 
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SunnyExpat

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@SunnyExpat How lovely that you can simply choose to lose weight and you manage it. For some of us it isn't about willpower or maintaining control , it's about our bodies simply not responding to weight loss plans. It's so very hard.

It's still hard.
But, for me, it's still a simple equation.
If I eat too much, weight goes on.
If I eat too little weight goes off.

I have seen all the arguments about metabolism, but I can't create energy, I can only change it, eventually, somewhere down the line, if I get the calories below the threshold, my body has no choice but to burn fat.

I already have my New Years resolution's written out for next year, and dieting is top of the list, as I also know what I'll be doing at Christmas.
 
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zand

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It's still hard.
But, for me, it's still a simple equation.
If I eat too much, weight goes on.
If I eat too little weight goes off.

I have seen all the arguments about metabolism, but I can't create energy, I can only change it, eventually, somewhere down the line, if I get the calories below the threshold, my body has no choice but to burn fat.

I already have my New Years resolution's written out for next year, and dieting is top of the list, as I also know what I'll be doing at Christmas.
For me the equation is
If I don't eat enough, weight stays the same, metabolism slows down, weight goes on.

The urge to keep eating less because 'surely if I ate less I would lose more weight' is something I have to fight all the time. It's happened in me because of years of following your equations above. You are lucky that if you get below your own personal calorie threshold your body chooses to burn fat, for some of us our bodies choose to burn less fuel if we give them less fuel. This ultimately ends in weight gain not weight loss.

As I have said before, to burn fat I need to consume very few carbs, regardless of total calorie intake.

Edit: Another difference between the two of us is that I don't make New Year's Resolutions. If I need to make changes, what's wrong with right now? Why wait a month?
 
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SunnyExpat

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For me the equation is
If I don't eat enough, weight stays the same, metabolism slows down, weight goes on.

The urge to keep eating less because 'surely if I ate less I would lose more weight' is something I have to fight all the time. It's happened in me because of years of following your equations above. You are lucky that if you get below your own personal calorie threshold your body chooses to burn fat, for some of us our bodies choose to burn less fuel if we give them less fuel. This ultimately ends in weight gain not weight loss.

As I have said before, to burn fat I need to consume very few carbs, regardless of total calorie intake.

Edit: Another difference between the two of us is that I don't make New Year's Resolutions. If I need to make changes, what's wrong with right now? Why wait a month?

I think, no matter what your metabolism is, if you don't eat anything for long enough, you're going to lose weight eventually.
So I simply have to find my point on that curve.

But as to the metabolism, mine is used to fast and feasts, so I know what tricks my metabolism into keeping going, and not shutting down.
The downside to that though, is I can keep eating, and eating, and eating, ready for the next fast. I don't switch off, ever.
And I also seem to be very good at processing energy, regardless of what it is.

As to the resolution, I don't need to diet at the moment
But Christmas is also in my plans, and that will involve a lot of empty calories.
So I'm planning ahead ;)
 

Pipp

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I plan ahead too. I don't eat the empty calories anymore. I don't understand why anyone would, knowing the damage they do.
As for the quote about losing just one gramme of fat reversing diabetes, it has been made totally out of context. Unfortunately, that will lead some misinformed, misguided souls to believe that it is that simple. And perpetuate the myth that T2 diabetes is self inflicted by people to lazy to shed a single gramme of fat. You have to shift a fair amount of fat before that gramme is released from the pancreas.
The article in OP, IMHO, serves to either make a mockery of the Newcastle study, to which I owe my non-diabetic BG status of 4 years duration. Or to give false hope to those who do not read all of the study papers before making up their mind.
 
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zand

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I think, no matter what your metabolism is, if you don't eat anything for long enough, you're going to lose weight eventually.

Yes of course, but 6 days of eating nothing and 5 days of eating very little when I had flu gave me a half a pound weight loss. I would be very ill before I lost enough weight to make a difference by cutting down calories. So I have carefully added them and am much healthier now and 3 stones lighter.
 
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SunnyExpat

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I plan ahead too. I don't eat the empty calories anymore. I don't understand why anyone would, knowing the damage they do.
As for the quote about losing just one gramme of fat reversing diabetes, it has been made totally out of context. Unfortunately, that will lead some misinformed, misguided souls to believe that it is that simple. And perpetuate the myth that T2 diabetes is self inflicted by people to lazy to shed a single gramme of fat. You have to shift a fair amount of fat before that gramme is released from the pancreas.
The article in OP, IMHO, serves to either make a mockery of the Newcastle study, to which I owe my non-diabetic BG status of 4 years duration. Or to give false hope to those who do not read all of the study papers before making up their mind.


Why?
Because I'm going to enjoy Christmas.
I'm going to pay the piper later.

As to damage, it's subjective.
I won't increase weight beyond my 'remission' level.
But I do feel mine could well be 'self inflicted', and the upside to that is I know the rules of the game, and accept I'm playing it now.
I'm also winning at the game.
 
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SunnyExpat

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Yes of course, but 6 days of eating nothing and 5 days of eating very little when I had flu gave me a half a pound weight loss. I would be very ill before I lost enough weight to make a difference by cutting down calories. So I have carefully added them and am much healthier now and 3 stones lighter.

It's brilliant when you discover the way your own body works.
Then you can beat it at it's own game, and make it do what you want it to do!
 
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zand

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It's brilliant when you discover the way your own body works.
Then you can beat it at it's own game, and make it do what you want it to do!
True, :) it's good that I know what to do now, after all these years, but it's oh so slow. :rolleyes:
 
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SunnyExpat

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True, :) it's good that I know what to do now, after all these years, but it's oh so slow. :rolleyes:

The secret is realistic targets.

“The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”
 
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Pipp

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Why?
Because I'm going to enjoy Christmas.
I'm going to pay the piper later.

As to damage, it's subjective.
I won't increase weight beyond my 'remission' level.
But I do feel mine could well be 'self inflicted', and the upside to that is I know the rules of the game, and accept I'm playing it now.
I'm also winning at the game.
I think our views differ in that I do not regard diabetes management as a game. To me my diabetes is a serious formidable enemy, with sneaky tactics. So I remain vigilant.
I do not 'enjoy Christmas' by consuming anything to assist my enemy to inflict damage. Nor do I feel deprived by eating food that will not cause me harm.
 
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SunnyExpat

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I think our views differ in that I do not regard diabetes management as a game. To me my diabetes is a serious formidable enemy, with sneaky tactics. So I remain vigilant.
I do not 'enjoy Christmas' by consuming anything to assist my enemy to inflict damage. Nor do I feel deprived by eating food that will not cause me harm.

So, that's the difference then.
You watch your weight continuously, I'm prepared to be flexible, and what I gain today, I can lose tomorrow.

So long as my BG is ok, I can relax and gain a few pounds at special occasions, and know I'll lose it later.

If you have a different attitude, and need to be vigilant continuously, that's your view, and if it works for you, that's how you need to cope.
 

Pipp

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So, that's the difference then.
You watch your weight continuously, I'm prepared to be flexible, and what I gain today, I can lose tomorrow.

So long as my BG is ok, I can relax and gain a few pounds at special occasions, and know I'll lose it later.

If you have a different attitude, and need to be vigilant continuously, that's your view, and if it works for you, that's how you need to cope.
Not quite.
I don't watch my weight at all, let alone continuously. Enough HCPs do that. I watch what I eat and drink, because I prefer to consume the things that keep me well, and not risk ever reversing the reversal, even for a few days at a time.
I accept that for you, @SunnyExpat the feeling well is an emotional state where food is concerned. For me, feeling well is more physically well, by avoiding eating what many would regard 'treats'. Which generally means sweet and carb foods.

one of the members on here used to say "we are all different". I never really understood that before. It is becoming clearer.
 
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SunnyExpat

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Not quite.
I don't watch my weight at all, let alone continuously. Enough HCPs do that. I watch what I eat and drink, because I prefer to consume the things that keep me well, and not risk ever reversing the reversal, even for a few days at a time.
I accept that for you, @SunnyExpat the feeling well is an emotional state where food is concerned. For me, feeling well is more physically well, by avoiding eating what many would regard 'treats'. Which generally means sweet and carb foods.

one of the members on here used to say "we are all different". I never really understood that before. It is becoming clearer.

Not understanding you then, it's a thread on removing fat, and you don't watch your weight?
Are you seriously underweight?
 

Pipp

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No, @SunnyExpat I just removed fat from my pancreas. That and removing other visceral fat is what is important to me. The subcutaneous fat are insignificant, but inconvenient.
 
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