Diabetes Reversal Program with Weight Loss

Hello Readers, we all know what is diabetes and it’s consequences if untreated or not monitored properly. Let us discuss about the most common question asked by my patients. Can Diabetes be reversed by weight loss?. The answer is yes.  According to the recent study by American Diabetes Association, when the patient loses 10% of  the body weight in the first five years of diagnosis of diabetes, it is possible that Diabetes can be reversed. Here the body metabolism plays an important role during weight loss.

Diabetes remission is defined as partial when glycated haemoglobin test (HbA1c) is less than 6.5 without diabetes medication for a year; and complete when HbA1c is less than 5.7 without medications for a year. The haemoglobin A1c is an indicator of the average glucose over the past 3 months. A healthy score is below 5.6%

According to the normal physiology, when there is excess fat deposit over liver and pancreas, the insulin production is hampered which fails to control the glucose levels in the blood. Thus resulting in diabetes. When the person loses weight, the pancreas work more efficiently. There is improvement in the beta cell function which in turn results to sufficient production of insulin to control glucose levels in the blood.

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Usually, a 2 month trial is sufficient for one to judge the diabetes reversal. Also life style changes like avoiding sedentary life style,  exercise on regular basis and improved plate diet plan for diabetes can help achieve the goal. Later on once the goal is achieved, it is very important to maintain the body weight so that the beta cell in pancreas is not hampered.

Approximately around 66.8 million or nearly 7 crore people in India are suffering from diabetes ie. almost 1 in every 11 indian is diabetic. majority of public in india is unaware that they have either prediabetes or diabetes. People suffering with low risk of diabetes can be reversed by healthy diet and exercise. After a considerable weight loss, one can stop the medicine and monitor the glucose levels. This is how weight loss can reverse diabetes.

Diabetes is a progressive disorder , when a person 1st time get diagnosed as Diabetic his/her almost 50% of beta cell reserve is exhausted but at the same time 40-50% is still viable and producing insulin. if that person loses a sufficiant amount of abdominal fat by weight loss through diet and exercise. his remaining 40-50% beta cell reserve may be able to maintain blood sugar levels in normal range for atleast few months to few years depending on other contributing factors like genetic history, diet intake, intensity of exercise, age, duration of diabetes etc. 

this is a reversible phenomenon, if a person regains a weight then again insulin resitance will increase and blood sugar levels may start again to rise.

Prof. Roy Taylor conducted a trial study on 149 individuals called the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT) which revealed promising results of reversal of diabetes with weight loss and diet plan. In this study participants reduced more than 15kg of weight loss to get the desired results either by diet and execise or some used bariatric surgeries for weight loss. This study proved beneficial to those people who had borderline diabetes and also those who were recently diagnosed. Daily regular workouts help in achieving the goal. Constant monitoring of weight and sugar levels is required as it is a long term disease plan. Saturated fatty acids in the liver and pancreas affect the beta cell production of insulin and also lead to insulin resistance.

Management:

Regular medication and exercise is required. Metformin tablet is used as a medication for treatment of diabetes which is a insulin sensitiser and also acts as a anorexic agent to some extent. Plate diet is also very effective in diabetes.

Having Fenugreek, black jamun, bitter gourd, grape fruit are some of the old school home remedies to control diabetes.

Insulin therapy in severe cases is necessary for effective results. there has been a various research papers submitted in various journals across world regarding 2 weeks of insulin therapy in Newly detected T2DM patient can get his off the medicines atlest for 1st few years.

Avoid, smoking, aerated drinks, carbohydrates that increases the glucose levels in the blood.

Ketogenic diet which is low carbohydrate diet restricts about 20 to 40gms of carbohydrates a day which also helps in reducing the glucose levels in blood but in indian foods it is very unlikely to achieve for longer duration.

 

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