What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance or the body's inability to produce enough insulin.

What Does Insulin Mean in Human Body?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates the body's use of glucose for energy. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for approximately 90-95% of all diabetes cases.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?

The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is not yet fully understood, but it is known that several risk factors can increase a person's likelihood of developing the disease. These risk factors include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and family history of diabetes, age, and ethnicity.

• Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Excess body fat can lead to insulin resistance, which means the body's cells are less responsive to insulin's signals, leading to high blood sugar levels. A sedentary lifestyle, characterized by little or no physical activity, also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Physical activity helps to improve insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of developing the disease.
• Family history of diabetes is another risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Genetics plays a role in the development of the disease, and people with a family history of diabetes are more likely to develop the disease themselves.
• Age is also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, with the risk increasing as people get older. People of certain ethnicities, including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, are also at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be mild or non-existent in the early stages of the disease. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.

What Are The Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes?

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, hunger, fatigue, blurry vision, and slow-healing wounds or infections.

How to Diagnose Type 2 Diabetes?

Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is typically done through blood tests, including a fasting plasma glucose test or an A1C test.

How to Treat Type 2 Diabetes?

Treatment of type 2 diabetes typically involves lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and medication to manage blood sugar levels.

• Some people with type 2 diabetes may require insulin therapy to control their blood sugar levels.
• Lifestyle changes are an essential component of managing type 2 diabetes.
• A healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats can help to control blood sugar levels.
• Physical activity can also help to improve insulin sensitivity and control blood sugar levels.
• Maintaining a healthy weight is also important for managing type 2 diabetes.
• Medication is often necessary to manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Several classes of drugs are available, including metformin, sulfonylureas, meglitinides, thiazolidinediones, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors. These drugs work in different ways to lower blood sugar levels, and the choice of medication will depend on various factors, including the person's blood sugar levels, age, and other health conditions.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance or the body's inability to produce enough insulin. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and family history of diabetes, age, and ethnicity. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be mild or non-existent in the early stages of the disease. Treatment of type 2 diabetes typically involves lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, and medication to manage blood sugar levels. With proper management, people with type 2 diabetes can lead healthy and active lives.

Stem Cell Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

Stem cell therapy is an emerging area of research for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance or the body's inability to produce enough insulin.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to differentiate into various cell types in the body, including insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. One of the major challenges in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is the loss of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Stem Cells Boost Insulin Sensitivity and Cell Function

Stem cell therapy aims to restore the function of these cells and improve insulin sensitivity in the body. There are several types of stem cells that have been studied for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, including embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adult stem cells.

Embryonic Stem Cells: Embryonic stem cells are derived from early-stage embryos and have the potential to differentiate into any cell type in the body. However, the use of embryonic stem cells is controversial due to ethical concerns, and their use is heavily regulated in many countries.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) are derived from adult cells that have been reprogrammed to a pluripotent state. This technology allows for the generation of patient-specific stem cells, which can be used for personalized treatments. IPSCs have been shown to differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells in vitro, and studies have demonstrated their potential for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Adult Stem Cells: Adult stem cells, also known as tissue-specific stem cells, are found in various tissues in the body, including the bone marrow, adipose tissue, and pancreas. Adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into certain cell types in their respective tissues. Studies have shown that adult stem cells from the bone marrow and adipose tissue can differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells in vitro and improve insulin sensitivity in animal models of type 2 diabetes.

Is Stem Cells Therapy Safe To Treat Type 2 Diabetes?

Several clinical trials have been conducted to investigate the safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

• In a phase I/II clinical trial, autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells were transplanted into the pancreas of patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that the treatment was safe and led to a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
• In another clinical trial, autologous adipose tissue-derived stem cells were transplanted into the pancreas of patients with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that the treatment was safe and led to a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.

While the results of these clinical trials are promising, further research is needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. There are also several challenges associated with stem cell therapy, including the risk of immune rejection, the potential for the formation of tumours, and the difficulty of controlling the differentiation of stem cells into specific cell types.

Conclusion

In conclusion, stem cell therapy is an emerging area of research for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Stem cells have the potential to differentiate into insulin-producing beta cells and improve insulin sensitivity in the body. Several types of stem cells, including embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, and adult stem cells, have been studied for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Clinical trials have shown promising results, but further research is needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of stem cell therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

How Stem Cells Therapy in India Treats Type 2 Diabetes

In our centre, we prefer to put stem cells directly into the pancreas through femoral artery in a catheterisation laboratory. This approach implants 98% cells into the pancreas compared to just 2% by giving into a vein, as done by other centres. This therapy is called intrapancreatic stem cell therapy which was done by us for the first time in the world. Currently, our centre is the only centre which offers this therapy.