Information regarding diabetes and day-to-day living with the disease.

Diabetes complications are the second largest cause of deaths in the United
States. About two million people in the United States have Type 1 diabetes
which is treated by insulin. Many others have Type 2 diabetes and about five
percent are not aware they even have diabetes. They won't be diagnosed until
they decide they are abnormally tired, urinating too much, and hungry and thirsty
all the time. These are the most common signs of diabetes.

Researchers are experimenting and looking for a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
A team of scientists and diabetes experts recently released a study showing
that by using a combination of two drugs, they were able to reverse Type 1
diabetes at the beginning of the disease. These two drugs were successful in
reversing diabetes in most of the mice tested. This success allows them to
predict they will be using humans in clinical trials soon.

Two separate clinical trials have proven that a combination of drugs called
anti-CD3 reversed Diabetes and the reversal was preserved for over a year. Researchers are excited
about the possibility of a cure for diabetes, especially those who deal with
early onset diabetes, or Juvenile diabetes. These clinical trials still need
approval and would include trials with individuals who have been recently diagnosed
with diabetes or those who are considered pre-diabetic.

Since complications from high glucose levels worsen over time, the hope
is that this combination of drugs will reverse the diabetes before it has time
to damage major organs.

They use the drug combination to teach the immune system to tolerate rather
than attack the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. The combination seems
to calm the immune system and lessens the attack on the cells. Regulatory cells
are also injected to specifically protect these beta cells. The drugs were
used as a vaccine with few side effects and it was proven the disease didn't
reoccur during the life span of the mice tested.

Good news for everyone if this proves to be the breakthrough scientists and
doctors have been looking for. Especially with children who are diagnosed,
if their diabetes could be reversed, they could have normal lives! Combining
this vaccine with plenty of exercise, enough sleep, and a healthy diet could
mean the end of this terrible disease. Complications from Type 1 diabetes include
kidney disease, blindness, and even amputations.

If this drug duo is confirmed to be a usable vaccine against diabetes, it
will be the first time that scientists were able to reverse diabetes and keep
healthy levels of blood sugars in the animals tested. This drug combination
may restore insulin-producing cells without the need for a pancreas transplant
and damage from anti-rejection drugs.

We need to encourage our researchers and scientists to continue working on
the cure for this terrible disease. When trials are started on humans, the
combination of the anti-CD3 and nasal proinsulin may create the drug that they
have been looking for. It would be a wonderful, modern cure for people around
the world.