Type one diabetes is much less common than type two diabetes. It can’t be brought about and it’s thought that the cause is a mix of environmental and genetic factors combining to trigger an autoimmune reaction. This autoimmune reaction causes the body’s own immune system to kill off its insulin producing beta cells in the pancreas, without those the body can’t create insulin .This is why type one diabetics almost always require insulin injections to survive.
The frustrating thing for type one diabetics is that, though pancreas and beta cell transplants are more than possible they don’t cure the condition. The body simply kills off the new beta cells like it did the old ones, a vicious circle. The day that researchers and scientists work out a way of halting the immune reaction is the day and type one diabetes becomes a thing of the past.
Along those same lines is a recent study which was conducted in Chicago, USA. Scientists used stem cells to ‘teach’ a type one diabetics immune system not to attack the beta cells in the way it does. This could potentially lessen to completely remove the necessity for insulin injections, improving the life and wellness of type one diabetics massively! The study was very small with only 15 participants but it showed great promise. Those involved found it much easier to control their blood-glucose levels and manage their condition in general.
Obviously further study is required before this treatment becomes common practice but due to how well the American study went, it might not take as long as you may think! As I said earlier, all it will take is a singular success in treating the autoimmune component of type one diabetes and condition will be beaten! Here’s to hoping we see it sooner rather than later.
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