Metabolic Effects of Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

In Cleveland, it has been found that gastric bypass surgery can reverse type 2 diabetes. The bypass surgery has been shown to restore pancreatic function in overweight people with an uncontrolled case of this type of diabetes. After monitoring diabetic patients before and after the bypass, metabolic changes were also found along with this pancreatic restoration. This is because the pancreatic restoration included a renewal of the functioning of the beta cells which help produce insulin. Researches believe that this bypass surgery effect is due to the fact that the surgery greatly reduces belly fat which takes stress of the pancreas kick-starting it back into action. In the research, 41% of the patients saw a drop down and stabilization of normal blood sugar levels and a 5.8-factor increase in overall pancreatic cell function. Further reasearch is needed to examine the hormonal effects but the treatment will now be used on moderately obese type 2 diabetic patients.

This article is particularly interesting because of the huge increase in the prevalence of diabetes that is currently happening. With higher average body weights and the worsening diets of people in developed worlds, diabetes (type 2) is now considered an "epidemic". Diabetes has many side effects including things like kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and neuropathy which are sometimes fatal making a treament for it greatly needed.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130226081236.htm
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2013/02/14/dc12-1596