Dr. Ron Blankstein

A Cure for Type-1 Diabetes?



Posted: Saturday, February 13, 2010

by Dr. Ron Blankstein
Chesapeake Nutraceuticals

If you live with type-1 diabetes, you know the daily struggle. The daily insulin shots. The careful monitoring of the foods you eat. The blood sugar swings when you're not as careful as you should be.

Now imagine if you didn't need to have insulin shots or monitor your blood sugar levels. What would four years without worrying about your next insulin shot be like? For most people with type-1 diabetes, I'm sure the answer to that question is, "What a relief!"

Type-1 diabetes is a daily burden. Two exciting new studies point to solutions that could lift that burden. That would mean a more normal life-and less daily worry-for people with type-1 diabetes.

Lay Down Your Burdens

Finding a way to replace your body's natural insulin production is the holy grail of type-1 diabetes research. Researchers are getting close to that goal.

Two different procedures are showing promise for diabetes patients. If either is perfected, you'll be able to replace the cells in your body that produce insulin. That means no more insulin shots.

Doctors have known for a while how to transplant insulin-producing beta cells. This technique works for a time, but eventually your body will attack and destroy those cells just like it did the original cells.

Because the cells come from an outside donor, the potential for rejection is also a problem. Most transplant patients rely on immune-suppressing drugs to prevent rejection. That leaves you vulnerable to illness and disease.

Stem Cells Carry New Hope for Diabetes Patients

With advances in stem cell research, the situation is changing. Doctors have been able to stimulate the growth of new beta cells within the pancreas by using a patient's own stem cells. This means your body won't reject the cells, and you won't have to take immune suppressants.

So far, only small studies have been done using this technique. But the results are promising. On average patients are able to function without insulin shots for 31 months. Some patients have enjoyed four years without insulin shots. Eighty-six percent of patients participating in this study responded well and were able to produce their own insulin, at least for a time.(1)

Doctors are also excited because the patients were able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. "This was the first time in history we achieved normal blood sugar and A1c levels and were drug-free after one intervention," said Dr. Burt of the research team.(2)

This treatment doesn't eliminate the original autoimmune disorder that triggers type-1 diabetes, so eventually the body does attack the new beta cells. However because the cells come from your own stem cells, you could receive periodic treatments with low side effects and good results.

More Diabetes Relief

Researchers are also working on a way to protect transplanted beta cells from immune system attacks. They've found a way to wrap the cells in polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE). PTFE allows the cells to produce and release insulin while protecting them from a hostile immune system. In studies, this technique has worked very well. The new beta cells stabilized insulin production and glucose metabolism and the immune system ignored the new cells.(3)

I look forward to a day in the near future when these two procedures are combined to create a lasting, effective solution that will relieve patients of the daily burden of type-1 diabetes.

Remember, it's important to discuss changes to your diet, exercise, or supplements with your doctor.

  1. Couri CEB, et al. "C-Peptide Levels and Insulin Independence Following Autologous Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus," JAMA 2009; 301(15): 1573-79.
  2. Gardner, Amanda. "Stem Cells Buy Freedom From Insulin for Type 1 Diabetics," Drug Digest. 4/14/2009
  3. "Device Protects Transplanted Pancreatic Cells From The Immune System," Science Daily. 4/16/2009

Dr. Blankstein has been practicing for over 30 years as a leading Cardiologist.

Trained in traditional medicine and Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease, he knows the importance of good medical care. This consideration has allowed him to discover safe and natural ways of healing. His dedication to bringing the latest and best in health solutions to his patients and the public has given him the experience to research and develop proven natural remedies for many illnesses.

© 2009 Chesapeake Nutraceuticals

Reprint of this article, in whole or in part, digital or otherwise, is permitted provided that author by-lines are kept intact and unchanged and include an active link to http://www.chesapeakenutraceuticals.com.

 

This Article has been viewed 209 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)
» left by Anonymous 2 years 66 days ago.
LCT (living cell technologies) in New Zealand is in human trials with their product 'diabecell'...basically they have encapsulated pig islet cells is a sea-weed derived protective coating allowing the cells to function for many years without any immune response from the patient. so far trials have been very promising. trials are in new zealand, russia and soon to be in the united states.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.