90 percent of diabetes patients are obese. Bariatric surgery or surgery for losing weight was found to improve diabetes by 86.6 percent in obese people, according to a research study first published in the March 2009 issue of The American Journal of Medicine. 78.1 percent of diabetic patients as per this study were reported to have complete resolution.
Now researchers from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, report that this surgery can improve insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients much more effectively than weight loss diet.
The results of this study are to be presented at The Endocrine Society’s 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego. The study was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
How Bariatric Surgery Benefits Type 2 Diabetes Patients?
The ability of the body to pass glucose from the blood stream to the cells is called insulin sensitivity. As in type 2 diabetic patients, this ability is impaired, the blood sugar level rises. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is the most common weight loss surgery.
Here, size of the stomach is reduced and the digestive tract is given a new route bypassing the stomach and part of small intestine. After the surgery, the diabetic patients are found to have normal or at least vastly improved control over blood sugar. Medication for this ailment is also discontinued by many.
Knowledge Gained from the Research Study:
- The study comprised of two groups with seven obese type 2 diabetic patients in each group.
- Group one patients underwent this surgery and group two patients initiated 800 calorie diet on regular basis.
- At the end of the study, patients from both the groups lost 8 percent of their body weight.
- But group one patients lost this weight in 3.5 weeks and group two patients had to wait for 8 weeks to see the same result.
- Group one patients completely discontinued their medications while group patients reported of 55 percent drop in their intake of medicines.
It is believed by the researchers that bariatric surgery results in some hormonal changes which cause these beneficial results in type 2 diabetes patients. Further research is focused on gaining more insight on the underlying mechanism of this beneficial finding.
