Getting used to life with diabetes can be difficult, but once you get used to the lifestyle that you need to maintain when you have this condition, life becomes simpler! But you would be astonished to know that some new advancements in the field of medicine can change your understanding of the condition. Numerous studies conducted by prestigious medical universities, authorities, and hospitals have come up with incredible findings through time and time again! Some of these studies can change the way we deal with this chronic disease. Today, we bring to you some of these findings and advancements, that could one day be true and your new reality!
Arthritis drug that could halt type 1 diabetes in a third of patients
Type 1 diabetes is a condition wherein the patient’s body attacks cells that produce insulin, forcing patients to inject insulin at least once a day to control the amount of glucose in their circulation. But, a study by University College London (UCL) has raised some hopes for such type of patients after they found, Abatacept (rheumatoid arthritis drug) appeared to preserve the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin! Abatacept suppresses T cells, which mistakenly attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas giving the team great hopes that it could be available in as little as three years.
Plant-based diet aids weight loss, lower blood sugar & avoid diabetes
A new study published by the University of Bergen in Norway found that plant-based diets help you metabolize glucose, lose weight, and avoid type 2 diabetes. According to the study, shifting to a plant-based diet has favorable effects on glycemic control in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Another study published in The British Medical Journal found that eating just one extra serving of fruits and vegetables a day, had a beneficial effect on your risk of getting diabetes.
Use of Metformin linked to risk of contracting anemia in patients with type 2 diabetes
A recent study published in Diabetes Care has reported that Metformin (a drug that is most widely prescribed to patients with diabetes and prediabetes globally) is associated with an early risk of anemia in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Louise A. Donnelly and associates at the School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, U.K, undertook a study and concluded that because the mechanisms for metformin-related moderate anemia are unknown, the effects are modest, and the benefits of metformin for diabetics are proven, avoidance or discontinuation of metformin is not advisable even in patients with anemia, but a reduction in Hb in the first few years after initiation of metformin should be anticipated.
Coronavirus pandemic may have resulted in delayed diagnoses of type 1 diabetes
According to a study published in Diabetes Care, many children may have delayed the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers found from 53 centers, that there was a 23 percent reduction in new diabetes cases in 2020 versus 2019. Of newly diagnosed patients the proportion of patients with severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) was higher in 2020 (44.3 percent in 2020).
Although there might be several revelations in the field of medicine with time, and living with diabetes will evolve for the better in the future, it still is a life-changing condition that requires careful blood sugar management and a healthy lifestyle to manage it correctly. Hence as of now, regular monitoring of blood glucose levels, healthy diet plans, and exercises might be your best shot to fight diabetes!