Diabetes (Type I and II)

Diabetes refers a group of diseases chiefly characterized by abnormally high levels of the sugar glucose in the bloodstream. The excessive glucose is actually responsible for most of the complications of diabetes, which include heart disease, stroke, nerve damage (neuropathy), eye damage (retinopathy) that can culminate in blindness, kidney failure and amputations. There are two (2) principle forms of the disease: Type 1 AKA juvenile-onset diabetes that typically affects children and young adults. And type 2 called adult-onset diabetes which generally affects older, sedentary, and overweight persons with a family history of the condition.

Type I diabetes arises when the body's immune system sees its own insulin-producing islet cells as foreign and attacks and destroys them. In the absence of insulin, glucose cannot enter cells normally and winds up accumulating in the blood.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot use insulin effectively (A condition referred to in medical parlance as "insulin resistance"). The end result is the same as with type 1 diabetes-namely, a build-up of glucose in the blood and the very real potential for tissue and organ damage.

At present there is no cure for diabetes. The standard medical treatment for type 1 diabetes is insulin injections several times a day for life with careful monitoring of blood glucose concentrations. The monitoring aspect is vital as sufferers who keep their blood glucose level as close to normal as possible can significantly reduce the long term complications of diabetes, such as retinopathy and heart disease. Folks saddled with type 2 diabetes can often control their blood glucose level through a combination of diet, exercise, and specific oral medications. Unfortunately Type 2 diabetes can and often does progress to the point where only insulin therapy is sufficient to control blood glucose levels.

Thankfully there are a number of scientific promising treatments for diabetic complications as well as diabetes itself. For instance, there is evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can benefit diabetic neuropathy; especially if used as part of a comprehensive care program that includes such things as nutrition & fitness counseling, use of natural compounds and botanic medicines that have been shown to modulate blood glucose concentration, and where indicated Enhanced External Counterpulsation therapy. This kind of approach is part & parcel of the offerings at this clinic in southern California. You can learn more by calling 1-949-367-8870 or by using this on-line contact form which can be readily accessed by clicking this link. And be sure to check out what one diabetic patient had to say about the results he got from this clinic's comprehensive care.

In addition to the aforementioned complementary treatment approaches, there is growing scientific evidence that adult (non-embryonic) stem cells can impact diabetes. You can get a feel for this by clicking this link and also this one.

With respect to Type 1 diabetes: A 2007 study published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) and summarized for lay-people in numerous articles including "Diabetics cured in stem-cell treatment advance" which appeared in The Times on April 11 (2007) underscore the tremendous promise of adult stem cells. These excerpts from The Times article spell this out quite succinctly:

"In a breakthrough trial, 15 young patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes were given drugs to suppress their immune systems followed by transfusions of stem cells drawn from their own blood.

The results show that insulin-dependent diabetics can be freed from reliance on needles by an injection of their own stem cells."

"Richard Burt, a co-author of the study from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said that 14 of the 15 patients were insulin-free for some time following the treatment. Eleven of those were able to dispense with supplemental insulin immediately following the infusion of stem cells and have not had recourse to synthetic insulin since then, he said."

Interestingly, there is evidence that the mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow, fat and cord blood ably dampens the autoimmune processes associated with type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and more.

There are also clear indications that Type 2 diabetes benefits from adult stem cells especially those contained in bone marrow. In one study carried out in Argentina doctors actually implanted bone marrow derived stem cell into the pancreas of diabetic patients. This brought about a host of improvements including production of endogenous (self) insulin with corresponding decreases "in blood glucose levels and glycated hemoglobin levels faster than other treatments. 84% of the patients that had received the autologous bone marrow cells could also abandon the drugs that stimulate insulin production or the insulin that they had been receiving previously." This is attributed by many experts to the regenerative effect of the stem cells on these diabetic patients insulin secreting cells in the pancreas.

Not surprising, a number of clinical trials involving adult stem cells are planned, recruiting or underway involving people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (respectively). In one such clinical trial which is "not yet open to participant recruitment" scientists will tackle diabetes by infusing autologous (from self) bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells in three separate stages: (1) transplanted through the pancreatic artery percutaneously; (2) 2nd transplantation by intravenous drip after finishing all required examinations on Day 7 +/- 1; (3) 3rd transplantation by intravenous drip after finishing all required examinations on Day 14 +/- 2. This clinical study will be conducted at the Armed Police General Hospital, P.R. China.

Of course, many diabetes sufferers reading this will not qualify for participation in any of the studies currently recruiting or that will do so anytime in the near future. Those that might qualify with respect to studies being conducted overseas may find the outlay of time and other resources too daunting. The good news is there is an alternative: Namely, having a legal autologous bone marrow treatment here in the USA in a very modern, highly progressive clinic located in southern California. You can learn all about this clinic by clicking this link or by calling 1-949-367-8870 or by using this on-line contact form which can be readily accessed by clicking this link.

In addition, StemCell.MD works with clinics in Mexico that have been successfully doing adult (non-embryonic) stem cell treatments for ALS and other chronic diseases for many years now. You can learn more by calling 1-800-288-7016 (8 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. If you call before or after business hours, please leave a message and someone on StemCell.MD's staff will get back to you as soon as possible) or e-mailing us at info@stemcell.md.