Breakthrough

Diabetes tablets stopped in 46 out of 100 people, with sugar still in control

Many people with type 2 diabetes are told it is a lifelong sentence, so a Scottish trial asked whether recent diabetes could go into remission.

The DiRECT trial, published in the Lancet in 2018 by the universities of Glasgow and Newcastle, studied 306 adults with diabetes of under six years, none on insulin, whose tablets were stopped before a doctor-supervised low-calorie diet for a few months and a slow return to normal food.

At 12 months, 46% were in remission against 4% with usual care, and they lost about 10 kg against 1 kg.

Be careful: remission is not a permanent cure, it all happened under supervision, and you should never stop your own tablets.

Do this: if your diabetes is new, speak to your doctor about weight loss today.

Source — Lancet 2018;391(10120):541-551, University of Glasgow and Newcastle University

The information in this issue is for general health awareness. It is not a substitute for your doctor's advice. Before starting any medicine, test or treatment, please see your doctor.

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