Scientists Hold Out Hope for Diabetes Cure

Nice to see some progress being made with one of the BIG diseases out there!

THURSDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Three years ago, scientists announced a new treatment had cured diabetes -- in mice.

But researchers reporting in the March 24 issue of Science say three separate attempts to replicate that pioneering study have proven only partially successful.

The results, while not stellar, still leave the cup of hope at least half-full for people with diabetes, experts say.

In fact, Dr. Denise L. Faustman, the scientist who performed the first study, contends the cup is still "100 percent full, because the new studies confirm that it is possible to stop the process by which the immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing islet cells." Islet cells reside in the pancreas, but are destroyed in the type 1 form of diabetes.

source: www.medicinenet.com...

Plans for a trial to see if type 1 diabetes can be reversed in humans are well underway at Massachusetts General Hospital, Faustman said, despite the partial failure of the three subsequent trials in mice.

More info from another source:

But Kleiman is a survivor, thanks most recently to a new breakthrough in diabetes treatment: a transplant of islet cells to restore his ability to produce insulin.

One year ago, Kleiman received a transfusion of donated islet cells. The procedure is relatively simple. Doctors infuse cells through a catheter into the liver, where they settle and start producing insulin.

"I would consider this one of the most promising advances in diabetes research," says Dr. Richard Insel from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. "In the last four years, we're seeing an 80 percent success rate of islet cell transplantation."

A successful transplant means no more insulin shots for most patients.

source: www.cbsnews.com...

80% success rate with islet cell transplantation! Maybe we are close to a total cure of this horrible disease. One can only hope. One can only hope also that the organizations making billions of dollars off this disease don't try to keep this cure from becoming a reality!

[edit on 7-4-2006 by Excitable_Boy]

That is good news!
I take 2 insulin shots a day plus one pill and I woke up with 231 BS level this morning.
I am so tired of fighting this disease
I'm damed if I eat and damed if I don't eat.
Thanks for reporting this news.

Thanks for reporting this news.

No problem. I am constantly looking for cures and treatments for diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Keep taking proper care of yourself! Look into what it takes to keep the pancreas healthy also. A healthy pancreas is important in fighting off all these disease...and I'm sure many others!!

Well this couldn't come at a better time for me as I have just been diagnosed with diabetes.

Well this couldn't come at a better time for me as I have just been diagnosed with diabetes.

Good luck with it and take care of yourself. It's a tough one. A good friend of mine was diagnosed last year and has been on daily insulin ever since. He'd certainly like to put an end to his daily injections and constant monitoring of his blood sugar!

Is nice to know that somebody is doing something about health problems that are affecting our population from young to old.

But what many don't realized is that the adult onset diabetes can be controlled with just a change on diet for many sufferes.

And that is one of the growing type of diabetes now affecting the adult population over 40.

But what many don't realized is that the adult onset diabetes can be controlled with just a change on diet for many sufferers.

Correct. Changinging the diet and keeping the pancreas healthy can do wonders for a person!

Originally posted by Excitable_Boy

Well this couldn't come at a better time for me as I have just been diagnosed with diabetes.

Good luck with it and take care of yourself. It's a tough one. A good friend of mine was diagnosed last year and has been on daily insulin ever since. He'd certainly like to put an end to his daily injections and constant monitoring of his blood sugar!

I've only got myself to blame for it though, 40 years of abuse takes it's toll on the body.

My husband has adult onset diabetes but is very good at managing his diet and getting exercise. He says exercise is probably the best thing to manage his diabetes. If he's feeling sluggish he'll go for a walk and come back and his blood sugar will be lower!
This is wonderful news.
MOre and more young people are developing diabetes, it's really scary.

And for those where this doesn't work, they will have the option of switching insulin intake from a needle to a puffer or even an implant.

80% suc rate is stellar! I know a few in mah family who need to know about this

Having searched the net . A medical breakthrough in that they say cinammon can prevent and cure type 2 diabetes. They sat that it mimics insulin and that it acts as a key to open the door to release insulin from the pancreas. Therfore regulating sugar levels.It has other health benefits as well because it gives blood circulation to the body.

Thanks for reading

Hopefully they can cure Diabetes soon...my Father died from the horrible disease at age 39....I would like nothing more than to see Diabetes put to rest...

I think diabetes is cause by the way we live and the toxic crap we eat on a daily basis. I for one stay away from granulated sugar it is an addictive corrosive poison and in my opinion responsible for causing diabetes in most adult cases and some juvenelle cases as well although it also they say it can be passed genetically as well.