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Is Type 2 Diabetes Reversible?
If you get treatment for type 2 diabetes, it may go away. It does not mean that diabetes is no longer there, though. To stay in remission, you'll need to control and keep an eye on your glucose levels.
People with type 2 diabetes have it for a long time. It mostly happens to people, but kids are getting it more often, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Being overweight or obese is one of the things that can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Complications from type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening, but with care, you can control it or even get it to go away.
Healthline has teamed up with Profile by Sanford to give you more knowledge on how to better control your diabetes through diet, exercise, and other things.
Can you reverse type 2 diabetes?
Doctors don't talk about healing diabetes because people who already have it will always have a chance of getting high blood sugar because of their genes and problems with their beta cells.
But with care, people with type 2 diabetes can go into remission, which means they can keep their condition under control. You'll still need to keep going to treatment to make sure it stays that way. If not, it will be easy for blood sugar levels to rise again.
When someone stops taking their diabetes medicine for at least three months and their A1c is less than 48 mmol/mol or less than 6.5%, they are said to be in remission.
But having diabetes again does not mean that it is gone. To stay in remission, you'll need to take steps to control your glucose levels. You'll also have to go to follow-up visits to make sure the levels are right. You might need to take more medicine if your glucose levels go up again.
How can I get into remission?
You can get into remission with a number of lifestyle changes and medical choices.
1-Weight loss
Keeping your weight at a healthy level is best for getting into remission because extra fat changes how the body makes and uses insulin.
It's best to do this as soon as you know what's wrong. Still, some people have gone into recovery up to 25 years after being diagnosed.
People with a high body mass index (BMI) may see the following if they lose 5% of their weight:
Better amounts of sugar in the blood
fewer problems and less need for medicines, if they are taking them
Some ways to deal with type 2 diabetes are:
monitoring your blood sugar levels
losing weight, if a doctor recommends it
following a balanced diet
exercise
using medications or insulin, in some cases
2-Get physical
Getting regular exercise is good for your health in general, and it will also help you lose weight and start to improve your symptoms. When you ask your healthcare team to help you make a plan, keep these things in mind:
Take it easy at first. If you have never worked out before, set reasonable goals. For instance, try to go for a few short walks every day and slowly build up the length and energy of your walks.
Moving quickly while walking is a great way to work out. A quick walk is simple and doesn't need any tools.
To keep your blood sugar from rising, try to work out at least once every 48 hours. Before, during, and after your workout, check your blood sugar.
Don't let your blood sugar drop. If it does, have a snack ready in case you go on an exercise.
The CDC says that people should do 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. You could walk instead.
3-Check your diet
A meal full of nutrients might help you get rid of type 2 diabetes.
Also, it can help you:
maintain a moderate weight
stay strong and flexible
manage symptoms
boost your overall physical health
preventTrusted Source depression and anxiety, common complications of diabetes
Your doctor can either help you plan a balanced and healthy diet or send you to a chef.
A diabetes-friendly diet should include:
enough calories to reach or maintain a moderate weight healthy fats, such as omega-3, which may have anti-inflammatory properties
a variety of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, which provide antioxidants
whole grains
lean proteins, such as poultry, fish, low fat dairy, soy, and beans
a low or zero alcohol intake, if you drink limited added sugar, fat, and salt
A doctor or chef can help you figure out how many carbs you should eat based on your lifestyle and how active you are. A key part of handling diabetes is knowing how to handle carbs.
A low-carbohydrate diet says that you should eat no more than 130 grams (g) of carbs per day, which is 26% of your daily calories.
Talk to a health care provider about the best plans and goals for you.
For people with type 2 diabetes, a ketogenic diet may help because it can help you lose weight. But different studies have found different things, and some say it might not be safe for everyone.
Some experts say that instead of limiting carbs, you should focus on the quality of the carbs. For example, whole foods can give you health benefits that processed carbs don't.
For now, the best way to deal with diabetes is to make a personalized plan instead of sticking to a certain diet.
Smart food choices and regular exercise are two of the most important ways to manage diabetes. As well as helping a person go into remission, they can also slow the disease's growth and keep it from getting worse.
People with long-term health problems, like diabetes, can get one-on-one nutrition advice from a dietician and personalized weight-loss plans through Profile by Sanford.
4-Medication
A healthy diet and regular exercise can help a lot of people with type 2 diabetes, but some may need to take medicine to keep their blood sugar levels in the right range.
This will depend on the person’s:
care goal for age or other health problems
Here are some types of drugs that can help lower blood sugar or make more insulin:
This will depend on the person’s:
age
other health conditions
treatment goal
Here are some types of drugs that can help reduce glucose levels or boost insulin production:
metformin
sulfonylureas, such as glipizide
glinides
gliptins, such as Sitagliptin
SGLT2 inhibitors, such as gliflozins
If these drugs do not help, the doctor may prescribe insulin.
Other drugs can lower the risk of complications, such as heart disease and related issues:
Antihypertensives reduce blood pressure.
Statins manage cholesterol levels.
Aspirin or similar options help prevent blood clots.
Type 1 vs. type 2 diabetes
Insulin is a hormone that is made by your pancreas.
The pancreas sends out insulin when your blood sugar (glucose) level goes up. This moves glucose from your blood to your cells, where it gives them energy. Your pancreas stops producing insulin when the amount of glucose in your blood drops.
Having type 2 diabetes changes how your body breaks down sugar. If you have type 2 diabetes, either your pancreas isn't making enough insulin or your body has stopped responding to it. This leads to hyperglycemia, which is when the blood sugar level rises too high.
People with type 1 diabetes have an autoimmune disease, which means that their immune system attacks healthy cells in the pancreas. It's not clear why this happens, but genes and family background probably have something to do with it. You don't make much or any insulin if you have type 1 diabetes.
In the early stages of type 2 diabetes, changes to how you live can help you control your blood sugar levels. If you have type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, you will need to regularly inject insulin to break down glucose.
Type 1 diabetes can't be cured, and it can't be turned around. Even so, the disease can be controlled with medicine. With type 2, you can usually control it by making changes to the way you live.
Will diabetes ever be reversible?
Some studies from 2019 show that the following may help cure type 2 diabetes:
lowering calorie intake bariatric surgery limiting carbs in the diet
But the results need to be confirmed by more study.
Frequently asked questions
Can diabetes be permanently reversed?
Diabetes can't be cured right now, and there will always be a chance that blood sugar levels will rise again. A doctor, on the other hand, can help you control your glucose levels, which can stop complications and slow the development of diabetes.
How long does it take to see remission?
This will rely on things like your blood sugar levels, how long they've been high, and whether you are overweight or not. A1c numbers below 48 mmol/mol or less than 6.5% after not taking any medications for at least 3 months are what experts call "remission."
How long will diabetes stay in remission?
There is no scientific proof that says how long remission can last, but some people have said that it can last up to 15 years.
But recovery takes time. If you want to stay in remission, you'll need to keep an eye on your glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes gets worse over time because it is a progressive disease. It might go away for a while, but if it comes back, you might need to change your treatment.