Information On The Possibility Of Stem Cell Treatments For Diabetes
Research shows that stem cell treatments for diabetes may have a lot to offer patients in the future. Eventually, stem cells may be used as a way to cure Type 1 diabetes and help in the control of Type 2 diabetes. At least that is what many scientists believe based on the research that has been done so far. This would be a huge step for scientists and patients alike but there is still much research needed before a cure is discovered.
Type 1 diabetes is considered a chronic disease and. In other words, once a person has this type of diabetes, they will have it for life. The pancreas stops making enough insulin to control the blood sugar levels in the body. There are many people who suffer with this disease and they don’t even know they have a problem because they don’t have any symptoms or they don’t recognize the symptoms.
These symptoms include:
• Feeling hungry or thirsty
• Fatigued
• Blurry eyesight
• Tingling in feet
• Nausea
• Dry skin
• Rapid breathing
• Headache
• Shaking
• Weak feeling
• Sweating
When a person has Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas is usually destroyed within five to ten years and they will need to rely on insulin shots for the rest of their life. This can be very hard for many people to accept and live with, especially if they are very young when they are first diagnosed. Imagine having to take insulin shots for the rest of your life and you can get an idea of how these people feel when they are told it will always be a part of theirs. Understanding this disease and how it affects the person will help you understand just how important the research being done for stem cell treatments for diabetes really is. If a cure could be found for this condition, it would be an enormous breakthrough for the medical profession. Scientists believe that through adult stem cell research they will be able to cure this condition some day. There would be millions of people whose life would be changed for the better if they succeed.
So how can stem cells cure diabetes?
The cure is based on this theory. The immune system of patients with type 1 diabetes destroys the pancreatic islet cells that make the insulin needed to be healthy. Insulin is what regulates the sugar concentrations in the blood. It’s believed that if blood is taken from the patient and the “CD34 stem cell” is saved, these cells can later be injected back into the patient where they will multiply and grow into a healthy immune system. Once this is done, the person may no longer need insulin shots or they may be able to reduce the amount of insulin needed.
This type of research and stem cell treatments for diabetes is very new and many more studies will be needed before a cure can be found. However, it’s believed that extended diabetes stem cells research will prove to be even more beneficial than the results that are already being seen today. It’s just a matter of time, funding and putting together clinical test that can provide accurate results.
