Daily Doses of Oral Insulin May Prevent Type 1 Diabetes in Children

Recent research published in JAMA suggests there may be a way to create a vaccine to protect against type 1 diabetes.

A team of scientists from Germany found that children who took oral insulin on a daily basis developed specific immunity changes that could prevent the development of type 1 diabetes.

The study included 25 children who had a family history of type 1 diabetes – 15 children received varying doses of oral insulin, while 10 others were given a placebo.

Depending on the child, treatments lasted anywhere from three to 18 months, and researchers observed no adverse side effects.

'Teaching' the immune system to work

According to study leader Ezio Bonifacio, Ph.D., giving insulin to kids who are at high risk for type 1 diabetes retrains the immune system to act in a protective manner.


“We think that the reason that some of the genetically at-risk children start the disease process do so because their immune system didn’t see enough insulin early enough and in the wrong place,” Bonifacio said. “Oral exposure at the right doses is known to teach the immune system to make protective responses.”

Researchers hope to test the model in a much larger group of high-risk children and monitor the subjects long-term.

“This is the first time we are seeing any sort of response by the immune system to orally administered insulin in children,” Bonifacio said.

If proven, the theory that insulin therapy in children can prevent type 1 diabetes may also have implications for children at risk for other conditions, like allergies.

Source: Healthline


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...