Topic Overview
In recent years, the research into new treatments and cures
for
has shown promise. Research also offers hope
that diabetes will become easier to monitor and treat, or even that a cure may
be found in the near future. But all of these treatments are
experimental.
Treatment areas currently being explored
include:
- Blood sugar monitoring
technologies.
- Dietary therapies.
- Insulin
therapies.
- Genetic therapies.
If you have a strong interest in any of these treatments,
discuss the treatment with your doctor.
New blood sugar monitoring technologies
Better
monitors and lancets that minimize the pain from frequent finger
sticks or that allow alternate testing sites, such as your forearm, are now in
use.
A is a device with a sensor that is placed under the skin to measure blood glucose. Continuous glucose monitoring devices have
been shown to improve A1c levels in people age 25 or older who have
diabetes.1
A combination insulin pump and
glucose monitoring system is approved for adults by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). With this system, you insert a disposable sensor under
the skin around your waist. The sensor measures your blood sugar over 280 times
a day. An alarm sounds if you have unsafe sugar levels. You still need to test
your blood sugar using finger sticks to calibrate the device and before
changing your insulin dose. This device has the potential to give you more
information about how diet, exercise, and medicines affect blood sugar
levels.
New dietary therapies
New dietary research has shown
that certain foods may have an even more beneficial effect on diabetes
treatment than was first thought. For instance, increasing your consumption of
soluble fiber has been proved to help prevent high blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
as effectively as taking an oral hypoglycemic medicine. Also, eating foods with
a lower
may help keep your blood sugar levels within your target range.
Diabetes can be greatly affected by what you
eat. New research reaffirms this and reinforces the importance of having a
registered dietitian on your diabetes treatment team. A
can help you determine which new
dietary recommendations might be helpful.
New insulin therapies
The insulin patch is another
new method currently under development. An insulin patch functions much the
same way as a nicotine patch. A patch is placed on your skin, usually on your
arm, where it delivers a constant low dose of insulin. To increase your insulin
dose at meal times, you remove a tab on the patch to expose the skin to more
insulin. While the patch provides a very convenient, painless method of insulin
delivery, insulin does not travel through the skin easily.