Tiny Balloon Into the Gut Could Reverse Diabetes

A tiny balloon, inserted and filled with hot water, could help treat and even reverse diabetes. The simple solution may become available in the United Kingdom next year and could become available globally as well.

Aimed towards treating type 2 diabetes, the treatment can be completed in about an hour as an outpatient procedure. The procedure could also help those with chronic obesity to help reverse their trend without need of complicated surgeries.

A tiny balloon is used to "burn" the lower intestine.

This is a procedure that has effects similar to gut-reduction surgeries in which portions of the intestine are removed in order to reduce its efficiency.

The balloon, which is about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted into the mouth, down the throat, through the stomach, and into the intestine with an endoscope. There it is inflated with very hot water, scalding the intestine's sides. It is then immediately deflated and re-inflated with cold water to stop the burning process. The result is about 10 centimeters of gut lining being rendered ineffective. This, in turn, alters the body's chemistry.


That alteration results in the ability to better absorb and process sugars. A trial in 2015 was followed up this year with the finding that most of those who underwent the experimental procedure were still experiencing benefits from it.

Some of those patients were diabetic and had their condition effectively reversed, with blood sugar levels returning to pre-diabetic norms soon after the procedure was done. The procedure is meant to replace drastic bariatric weight loss surgery as a safer alternative that is just as effective. The procedure, known as Revita, is now undergoing further trials in the final stage to acceptance in the United Kingdom. The trials this time are almost entirely made up of diabetics with severe conditions.

Source: DailyMail.co.uk


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...