Type 2 diabetics can repair their damaged organs by slimming

EAT TO BEAT DISEASE

DIABETES patients can restore their pancreas to a healthy shape and size by losing weight, a study has revealed.

Type 2 diabetics have a pancreas which is an irregular shape and up to a third smaller than a healthy one.

But last night British researchers revealed that the organ can be restored to a normal size if diabetes patients go into remission by losing around two stone.

Nearly four million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes, which is strongly linked to obesity. The illness develops when the pancreas does not make enough insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, or the insulin does not work properly.

Until today, it was not clear if a shrunken pancreas was among the causes of type 2 diabetes, or was a result of having the condition. But the trial has shown that a shrunken pancreas is linked to excess fat, and can return to normal if diabetics lose around two stone (ten to 15kg).

As well as producing hormones to regulate blood sugar, a healthy pancreas produces enzymes to break down food.

Experts said the new findings add to mounting evidence that those with type 2 diabetes should be urged to follow radical low-calorie diets.

Professor Roy Taylor of Newcastle University, who led the study, said the findings would be ‘enormously encouraging’ for patients.

Earlier this month, the NHS announced that thousands of type 2 diabetics will be offered a three-month 850 calorie soup-and-shakes daily diet to beat the disease. It followed the success of the DiRECT trial, a project led by Newcastle and Glasgow Universities involving almost 300 individuals with type 2 diabetes.

In 2018, the study found that half of patients put on a soupsand-shakes diet of no more than 850 calories a day, aiming to lose 15kg (33lb), went into remission.

The same team has now found that the pancreas size of those who had been in remission for two years increased by 20 per cent – almost to normal size. There was also a decrease in the amount of fat in the pancreas, and the irregular shape of the organ returned to normal. Experts said that weight loss reduces the amount of fat in the pancreas. This restores the whole organ and helps the recovery of beta cells – which produce insulin.

Dr Elizabeth Robertson of Diabetes UK, said: ‘Our DiRECT trial has revolutionised thinking about type 2 diabetes – we no longer consider it a life-long condition for everyone, and know remission is possible for some.’

The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Conference, and are due to be published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

Type 1 diabetes is an unpreventable autoimmune disease, but type 2 is mostly caused by poor diet. Britain’s obesity crisis has led to soaring levels of type 2.

Professor Taylor added: ‘The solution to the problem of type 2 diabetes lies in the hands of politicians. Legislation on supply of high calorie foods is essential.’

‘Enormously encouraging’