Is a Cure for Diabetes Within Reach?

Background

In December, 2007 a very enticing study out of Toronto University was published in the medical journal Cell and spread like wildfire across the internet as an article titled "A Cure for Diabetes May be Close!"

The Original Article

The original article was nothing less than incredible. It described how lab mice that had been given type 1 diabetes were cured within 24 hours of receiving an injection of capsaicin, (the main active compound in chili peppers); the capsaicin was injected directly into the pancreas. As a result of the capsaicin injection, the mice started to produce insulin (type 1 diabetics do not produce insulin).

Further Research

Upon further research scientists confirmed that the nerves surrounding insulin-producing islets secrete neuropeptides, and are crucial to the proper functioning of the islets. Researchers were able to prove that in the diabetic mice and rodents, they were not producing enough of the neuropeptides and it caused stress on the insulin producing islets.


So resear neuropeptide named “substance p” was injected into the cells of the pancreas. The inflammation caused by the lack of insulin disappeared and the mice and rodents were diabetic free. Some of the lab mice and rodents remained diabetic free for at least four months after being given only one injection.

This study was directed more towards type 2 diabetics; however, the study of neuropeptides implicated that type 2 diabetes was simply a component of type 1 diabetes, meaning that the treatment could possibly work for both type 1 and type 2 diabetics.


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...