Diabetes, one of the most prominent diseases of our age, causes one person to die every 6 seconds. While diabetics struggle with the disease by taking insulin from their bodies, it has been announced that a method has been developed that will make it much easier for diabetics to meet their insulin needs.
A team of researchers from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health has revealed that a small implant infused with stem cells can help the body produce insulin on its own. The study entered the scientific literature as the first of its kind. It was also noted that this method offers hope for Type 1 diabetes patients that never existed before.
Insulin, which can be produced directly in the body:
As part of the developed method, a 25-cent sized device was placed under the abdominal skin of 15 patients. The device contained millions of cells responsible for making insulin produced from a single lab-grown stem cell line. C-peptide, which is a byproduct of insulin formation and released into the blood, was used to measure the amount of insulin released by the subcutaneous device.
The 15 participants in the study were also found to spend 13% more time in the target blood sugar range. However, it has also been revealed that some of them are able to reduce the amount of insulin they inject thanks to the implant. However, it has been explained that this treatment method is not yet ready for comprehensive treatment and for everyone with diabetes. Nevertheless, it was noted that this was a great step forward.
Type 1 diabetes, which is the focus of treatment, is usually seen in people under the age of 30 and is completely caused by insulin deficiency. Type 1 diabetes, which is rarer than Type 2, which occurs on a genetic basis, also causes more pronounced and serious symptoms compared to Type 2.
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