Can diabetes be reversed? A study shows that yes and without medication: this is the way

Diabetes is a disease that affects a large part of the population. According to the last National Health Survey, 12.3% of the country’s population suffers from diabetes. This means that Chile has the highest prevalence of diabetes in South America. .

Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to use insulin to regulate blood sugar, leading to high levels that can cause heart problems, organ damage and blindness.

The new results of the study Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT, its acronym in English) suggests losing weight and keeping it can help reverse type 2 diabetes for at least five years.

The original DiRECT trial lasted two years and previous results showed that almost half (46%) of people with type 2 diabetes who followed the weight control program were in remission at one year and 36% at two years. Remission is the attenuation or complete disappearance in the patient of the signs and symptoms of his disease.

The study consisted of a weight loss diet in the form of a liquid meal, totaling 800 calories for 12 to 20 weeks . Of the 298 people who took part, half received standard diabetes care from their GP and the other half followed a diet with the support of healthcare professionals.

Participants stopped taking type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure medications at the start of the program and reintroduced them as needed. To better understand the long-term benefits of the program at the end of the two-year study, DiRECT was funded for an additional three years, with 95 of 149 people agreeing to continue the study extension.

The new findings show that almost a quarter (23%) of participants who were in remission from type 2 diabetes in the original trial remained in remission at five years.

This means that they no longer needed to use medication to control their blood sugar .

Research director Dr Elizabeth Robertson told Diabetes UK that “for those who put type 2 diabetes into remission, it can be life changing, providing a better chance for a healthier future.

Obesity is one of the main drivers of type 2 diabetes; Research has shown that people with a high body mass index (BMI) are up to 80 times more likely to develop the disease than those with a BMI below 22.

The proportion of people in remission five years after the start of the initial study was more than three times that of the control group, who had just received medical attention and had not participated in the original weight control program.

Overall, the extension intervention group saw greater improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar and required less medication than the control group.

Teacher Roy Taylor of Newcastle University who co-led the study, said: “The five-year follow-up of DiRECT shows that rapid weight loss program produces significant weight loss at five years with low intensity support . The bigger question now is how the tracking program can be even more effective at an affordable cost. »

The recent study supports the evidence that weight loss puts off and can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Even if it doesn’t go into remission, Dr Robertson told Diabetes UK that “losing weight can still have significant health benefits including improved blood sugar levels and a reduced risk of serious diabetes complications such as heart attacks and strokes.

Even losing 5% of your body weight helps improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It can also improve blood sugar levels, which helps the body respond better to insulin and possibly require fewer medications or lower doses for diabetes.

Now researchers are looking for a way for the program to help people at a more affordable cost to help them get rid of type 2 diabetes.