According to the CDC, over 37 million Americans are living with diabetes. Although there is no cure, there are ways to manage diabetes and lessen the impact it has on your daily life. With regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, emerging as a promising alternative option for all sorts of ailments and afflictions, many people are curious about how stem cells might help treat diabetes.
Read on to learn about the different types of diabetes and how stem cells might be able to help manage diabetes.
Understanding Diabetes
In order to understand diabetes, it is important to understand how your body uses and regulates glucose, which is also known as sugar.
Glucose is a major source of energy for your body. When you eat foods that cause your blood glucose levels to rise, the beta cells located in your pancreas secrete insulin. When insulin is released, it triggers other cells in your body to start absorbing glucose for energy.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type one diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body cannot produce enough insulin to effectively regulate blood glucose levels.
Type 2 Diabetes
In type two diabetes, the body’s cells develop a resistance to insulin. In turn, your beta cells secrete more insulin to try to compensate. But the resistance continues to get stronger, and the beta cells cannot produce enough insulin to overcome it.
This often occurs as a result of poor diet and exercise habits and can develop at any point in life.
How Is Diabetes Treated?
Both type one and type two diabetes are typically treated by monitoring blood glucose levels and administering small doses of insulin subcutaneously throughout the day. This can be done manually or using an insulin pump.
Type two diabetes can sometimes be corrected with a proper diet and exercise regime, especially when it’s caught in the early stages.
How Can Stem Cells Help?
Stem cells have the potential to help manage diabetes by differentiating into new beta cells when injected into the pancreas. In patients with type one diabetes, this helps by replacing the beta cells that no longer function. And in patients with type two diabetes, this extra supply of beta cells can produce enough insulin to overcome the body’s resistance.
That is not to say that stem cells can cure diabetes, but they do show promise in managing the condition.
This post was written by a medical professional at https://www.stemedix.com. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.