Can diabetes be cured?

Diabetes in remission simply means the body does not show any signs of diabetes. However, the disease is technically still there. According to Diabetes Care remission can take different forms: Partial remission: When a person has had a blood glucose level lower than that of a person with diabetes for at least 1 year without any diabetes medication. Complete remission: When the blood glucose level returns to normal, not simply pre-diabetic levels, for at least 1 year without any medications. Prolonged remission: When complete remission lasts for at least 5 years.

Even if a person has had normal blood sugar levels for 20 years, their diabetes is still considered to be in remission rather than "cured."

There is no known cure for diabetes. The good news is that remission is possible in many cases and can be as simple as making some lifestyle changes.

Diabetes type 2 warning - the feeling on your tongue you should never ignore

Diabetes is a common condition that affects almost four million people in the UK, and 90 per cent of all cases are caused by type 2 diabetes. The condition is caused by the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the body not reacting to insulin. Without enough of the hormone, the body struggles to convert sugar in the blood into useable energy. You could be at risk of diabetes symptoms if your tongue is often stinging, or feels like it’s burning, it’s been claimed.

A burning mouth or tongue could be a warning sign of diabetes, revealed medical website the Cleveland Clinic.

It could be caused by thrush - a fungal infection of the mouth and tongue, it said.

High blood sugar levels in the mouth and saliva provides the perfect environment for fungus to grow.

“People with diabetes face a higher than normal risk of oral health problems,” said the Cleveland Clinic.

“If blood sugar is poorly controlled, it is more likely that oral health problems will arise.

“This is because uncontrolled diabetes weakens white blood cells, which are the body’s main defence against bacterial infections that can occur in the mouth.

“People with diabetes face a higher risk of burning mouth and/or tongue. This condition is caused by the presence of thrush.

“People with diabetes who frequently take antibiotics to fight various infections are especially prone to developing a fungal infection of the mouth and tongue.”

You could also be at risk of diabetes symptoms if you often develop gum inflammation.

The condition, which is also known as gingivitis, causes blood vessels in the mouth to thicken up.

This reduces the flow of nutrients to the mouth, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections.

Many people may have diabetes without even knowing, as the symptoms don’t necessarily make you feel unwell.

Common diabetes symptoms include fatigue, blurred vision, and passing more urine than normal.

Diagnosing diabetes early is crucial, as the condition raises the risk of some deadly complications, including heart attacks and strokes.

You could lower your risk of diabetes by eating a healthy, balanced diet, and by doing regular exercise.

Speak to a doctor if you’re worried about the signs or symptoms of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes: Can it be reversed? How to put the blood sugar condition into remission

Diabetes is a condition in which the level of sugar in a person’s blood is too high. In type 2 diabetes, this happens because a person’s body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the insulin produced is rejected by the body’s cells. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It is different to type 1 diabetes, in which a person’s body can’t produce insulin at all. Insulin is a chemical produced by the pancreas which controls the level of sugar in the blood and transfers it to the cells to be turned into energy.

If insulin is unable to do this, too much sugar will remain in the blood which can lead to complications with the heart, nerves, kidneys, eyes and feet.

Diabetes has no specific cure but is treated with medication to keep the condition under control.

However, there have been some claims type 2 diabetes can be reversed. So is this true?

According to Dr Zenon Andreou, GP at European online doctor Zava, it is possible for type 2 diabetes to go into remission for some people, through weight loss and healthy lifestyle choices.

The doctor notes, however, that there is currently no long-term evidence to prove this is a permanent cure.

Type 2 diabetes is linked to weight, in that people who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop the condition.

People who already have type 2 diabetes and are overweight or obese are also more likely to develop associated complications.

“Diets high in refined carbohydrates such as pasta, white bread and sugary drinks raise blood glucose levels and the body’s normal response is to produce more insulin to balance that,” said Dr Zenon.

However, people who have diabetes are unable to create that balance so need to take medication to control it.

But eating healthily and losing weight have helped some people to put their diabetes into remission by reducing blood sugar levels naturally.

“By reducing the amount of carbohydrates eaten and controlling calorie intake, the body’s blood sugar levels can remain at normal levels and for some diabetics, coupled with ongoing weight loss and exercise, this means that medication is no longer needed,” said Dr Zenon.

“It is important to note here that we cannot call this a cure, we do not currently have long-term evidence to suggest this is a permanent situation,” he warned.

Dr Zenon noted some studies also suggest people who attempt to get their diabetes in remission soon after diagnosis stand a better chance of being successful, as the cells which control glucose levels are potentially less damaged.

“People with type 2 diabetes should speak to their GP or specialist before attempting to get their diabetes into remission.

“They will be able recommend healthy eating and exercise plans and set manageable targets, as attempting a crash diet without consultation may carry serious health risks and side effects.

“People with type 2 diabetes in remission, are encouraged to continue getting regular health and diabetes checkups such as retinal screening.

“Type 2 diabetes may have once been considered a lifelong condition, but recent research has shown that for some people it can go into remission through weight loss and healthy lifestyle choices.

“However there is not yet long-term evidence to prove this is a permanent cure,” Dr Zenon reiterated.

Diabetics with rare eating disorder to get specialist NHS help

Diabetics who also have a rare and potentially fatal eating disorder are to start receiving specialist NHS help to reduce their risk of suffering its “devastating” consequences.

About 55,000 people in England with type 1 diabetes also have diabulimia, which occurs when a person with the condition stops taking insulin regularly because they want to lose weight.

Support from nurses and counsellors for people with diabulimia will include advice on how to prevent harmful social media postings from affecting their behaviour.

Leading doctors and health charities said the little-known condition can lead to a stroke, kidney failure, an amputation, blindness or even death.

NHS England is bringing specialists in diabetes and eating disorder care, who usually work separately, into new combined teams that will help patients in London and on the south coast.

Hundreds of people will be treated by teams centred on King’s College hospital in the capital and Royal Bournemouth hospital in Dorset. NHS England hopes the pilots will show health professionals the best way to treat those with diabulimia.

https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/dec/08/daily-email-uk

An estimated 42,000 women and 13,000 men in England who have type 1 diabetes – the autoimmune version of the disease, which is not linked to lifestyle – also have diabulimia. People with type 2 diabetes cannot get it.

Prof Jonathan Valabhji, NHS England’s national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said: “As a diabetes clinician I’ve seen first-hand the devastating impact that this condition can have on people and their families, and so these services are an important step forward in the recognition of diabulimia.”

Many people with diabulimia do not tell friends and family they are not taking regular doses of insulin, which adds to the difficulties NHS staff face in spotting those who have it.

Most type 1 diabetics who skip doses of insulin do so to reduce the weight gain that taking it can involve.

Diabetes UK said: “Diabulimia is serious, but it’s not a recognised mental health condition in its own right. And because it isn’t widely understood, some healthcare professionals may not spot the signs or know how to support someone with it.”

The Labour MP George Howarth has been campaigning to raise awareness of diabulimia since his daughter Sian died from it aged 24 in 2011.

Dr Dasha Nicholls, the chairwoman of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ eating disorders faculty, said: “Because diabetes forces you to focus on what you eat, it is not unusual for that to get tangled up with feelings about food, weight and body image.

“But in the case of diabetes that can become dangerous very quickly, because of the impact on blood sugar levels.”

Welcoming the announcement, Tom Quinn, the director of external affairs at the eating disorders charity Beat, said: “Standard treatments for people with eating disorders often don’t provide the right support for people who also have diabetes, who may experience additional issues including the misuse of insulin and its extremely serious consequences.”