Doctors are stunned.
A recent clinical trial suggests that people with type 2 diabetes can potentially reverse their condition through a combination of calorie reduction and medication. The study, published on January 22 in The BMJ, showed that overweight and obese adults who followed a calorie-restricted diet and took the diabetes drug dapagliflozin were able to put their diabetes into remission.
After one year, around 44% of participants who used both the calorie-restricted diet and dapagliflozin achieved diabetes remission, compared to 28% of those who were given a placebo instead of the medication. This finding offers a promising strategy for managing type 2 diabetes, according to the study led by Dr. Xiaoying Li, head of endocrinology and metabolism at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University in China.
Dapagliflozin, a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, helps reduce blood sugar by preventing its absorption in the kidneys, leading to the excretion of excess glucose through urine. The study involved over 300 participants in China who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for less than six years. All participants reduced their daily calorie intake by 500 to 750 calories and increased physical activity to 150 minutes of brisk walking per week.
Those taking dapagliflozin in combination with calorie reduction saw better outcomes, with 44% achieving diabetes remission. These participants also lost more weight, averaging 11 pounds compared to 7 pounds in the placebo group, and showed improvements in insulin resistance, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
An editorial accompanying the study, co-authored by Dr. David Hope from Imperial College London, highlighted the effectiveness of combining dapagliflozin with moderate calorie restriction. The results suggest that SGLT-2 inhibitors like dapagliflozin can help people lose weight with fewer dietary restrictions, making remission more accessible to a larger population.
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