Diabetes continues to be growing problem and there are institutions and individual researchers dedicated to finding a cure for this disease . . . which seems to be so elusive. I have no doubt that there will be a break through in the near future since it is affecting a so many people.

Unfortunately, the opportunities for drug companies to profit from the sale of drugs to treat diabetes is off the chart. They undoubtedly they don’t want a cure but a Band-Aid put on the problem since they would lose untold millions of dollars.  Treating the disease and finding a cure are two different things. I applaud the scientists and researchers who are seeking the ultimate cure for this awful disease. Hopefully each discover is a step closer the that elusive cure.

The following article illustrates another opportunity to develop a drug to treat diabetes but not necessarily to cure it.

Insulin breakthrough: ‘This is part of the holy grail of medicine,’ expert says

The cure for diabetes is imminent, thanks to the surprising discovery made by researchers at Harvard University. The insulin breakthrough occurred when scientists discovered how to manufacture insulin-producing cells in mass. Harvard researchers describe the find as a significant breakthrough that may create new ways to treat diabetes. According to an updated report from RT on Oct. 11, scientists were able to drastically alter human embryonic stem cells, transforming them into cells that produce and release insulin.

According to the Washington Post, after 15 years of studies and experiments, experts led by Professor Doug Melton developed an innovative technique to transform embryonic stem cells into functional beta cells. “We are reporting the ability to make hundreds of millions of cells — the cell that can read the amount of sugar in the blood which appears following a meal and then squirts out or secretes just the right amount of insulin,” Melton said.

The technique was tested in mice suffering from type 1 diabetes. The scientists found that beta cells obtained in the laboratory could produce insulin and control blood sugar levels in the blood of the mice for months. Currently, the beta cells derived from stem cells are being tested in animals, including primates. Cells transplanted in animals several months ago continue to produce insulin normally.

One problem in the study is that once the beta cells are injected into a human being, they could attack the body’s immune system. So, scientists stress that they need to continue research to solve the problem and make this method an effective cure. According to scholars, human transplant trials could be underway in a few years and current research opens new doors for drug discovery and transplantation therapy to treat diabetes.

Regarding the insulin breakthrough, Albert Hwa, director of discovery science at JDRF, said:“This is part of the holy grail of regenerative medicine or tissue engineering, trying to make an unlimited source of cells or tissues or organs that you can use in a patient to correct a disease.” Hwa, who is head of a New York-based diabetes advocacy group that funded Melton’s work, also explained that the technique is an important step toward understanding and treating diabetes,

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin, the hormone that regulates glucose levels in the blood. If the blood glucose level is too high, over time it can severely damage the body’s organs. Unlike type-2 diabetes, there is no way to prevent type-1.

P.S.  I am waiting for the day when type 2 diabetes will be a disease that our grandchildren will read about in the history books and not something that continues to be a growing problem. I appreciate the work that researchers a doing but it appears that it is all leading to the development of another drug to be hawked by the drug companies. Controlling your diet and following a consistent exercise program continues to be the best way currently, to control this disease.

P.P.S.  Visit exercises for diabetics today for information on how exercise can help prevent complications of this disease.