Diabetes: Early Insulin Treatment Equals Better Outcomes

A recent Type 2 diabetes study found early insulin therapy to be as effective as 15 months of oral therapy, and it may improve the body's ability to produce insulin, according to a news release.

Researchers from Ohio University and Western University of Health Sciences' College of Osteopathic Medicine conducted a pilot study of 23 adults who were newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and who were had early oral therapy. By the end of their study, the researchers saw significant improvements.

The first step in Type 2 treatment is to have oral therapy, which suppresses glucose production by the liver. This is necessary because insulin, the hormone normally produced by the pancreas, is not produced in Type 2 patients, and is a vital part of the digestive system that allows the body to utilize glucose from carbohydrates in the food that you eat and it controls blood sugar levels.

If diagnosed, patients can receive early insulin treatments, which may have less metabolic side effects. The pilot study was conducted in a series of successful cases which were completed at The Ohio University Diabetes Institute.

In a controlled trial, the insulin-treated group's A1C levels decreased from 10.1 percent to 6.7 percent after 15 months, according to the researchers.

The A1C test is a common blood test used to diagnose Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and also to gauge how a patient is managing their diabetes.

The group that received intensive oral therapy saw that their A1C levels dropped from 9.9 percent to 6.8 percent at 15 months. The researchers found that the intensive oral therapy group gained weight and the insulin-treated group lost an average of five pounds.

"While the improvement in glucose was relatively comparable between the two groups, our findings support the idea that the body can improve its natural insulin secreting ability when early insulin is given," said the study's lead researcher, Jay Shubrook, of the School of Osteopathic Medicine. "This may be because early insulin therapy protects beta cells in the pancreas that respond to glucose and produce insulin."

Shubrook claimed that there are limitations to the study, such as the size and number of participants considered severely obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater. However, aside from the limitations, the study provided new clues which can lead to improvements for patients who are newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. 

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