Diabetes Drug Byetta Regenerates Type 2 Islet Cells

By David Mendosa, Health Guide Sunday, January 27, 2008

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Now, for the first time, medical research has shown that a diabetes drug "has direct beneficial actions on human T2DM [type 2 diabetes] islet cells." The researchers, a group of nine doctors in Pisa, Italy, call the drug exendin-4, but we know it as Byetta.They found that it can "induce the expressio...

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Brian

1/28/08 12:53am

This is potentially good news for those of us who've gotten our insulin resistance under control with weight loss and exercise but still see blood glucose spikes because of impaired first phase insulin response. Most of the available drugs (short of using insulin) aren't really helpful for a type 2 diabetic who has improved to this point.

Christopher Wheeler

1/30/08 1:32pm

Well, I obviously cannot tell if my Islet cells are regenerating, but I can tell you this...

My A1c in November was 7.0%. I started Byetta about a week later. Now, this past week, my A1c was 6.4%. Not great, but on the right track. Now if I could eat the RIGHT foods it would be even better. Hopefully 3 months from now my A1c will be in the 5.x% area.

David Mendosa, Health Guide

1/30/08 3:51pm

Dear Christopher,

Hang in there, buddy! The right foods are at least low-GI foods, if not low-carb foods, which are even better. You can gradually work toward that with the reward of both lower A1C levels and less weight.

David

Christopher Wheeler

1/30/08 3:57pm

I'm sure I'll get there. I know that after I've been eating like crap for so long, it is hard for me to just jump in full-force. After having average readings of 180 or so for so long, a reading of 110 or 120 feels like I am low. Relative hypoglycemia I think it is called?

My doctor was impressed by the 6.4%. I'm not!

What is your most current A1c, if you don't mind me asking?

David Mendosa, Health Guide

1/30/08 7:40pm

Dear Christopher,

I got my A1C and lipid levels tested on January 8:

A1C: 5.6
Total Cholesterol: 238
Triglycerides: 47
HDL: 68
LDL: 162

David

Tina Seiler

1/31/08 12:33am

Hi David,

I have been reading your shareposts for months, I am a 40 year old woman with type 2. They found it when I was pregnant at 26. I have had a1c's in the 8's and now my last one was 5.8!!! God Bless Byetta. I have lost 35 pounds and only need to lose 10 more to make my Doc happy, 20 to make me happy. I have been looking forward to having proof that Byetta does regenerate the Beta cells, I was wondering if you have heard of anyone getting very iron deficiant and b12 deficiant while on Byetta. Doc is not sure why I am soooo low on my iron saturation count, we know that the b12 is low probably due to metformin. I take 2000mg daily. I am on iron pills now and will see in a couple of months if that helps, just curious if you have heard of anyone else in same boat. I also want to thank you for being so informative and down to earth, I have had what my friends consider "old people" problems since my twenties and it's nice to see it can be controlled and delt with, with education and the right doc. Thanks again.

Tina

David Mendosa, Health Guide

1/31/08 3:02pm

Dear Tina,

Thank you. You are right to consider that metformin is causing your low B12 levels. That is a common side effect of metformin. But I don't know what could be causing your low iron levels, because that is apparently not a side effect of either metformin or Byetta. My recommendation is for you to discuss this carefully with your doctor to see if it might be the result of some other condition.

David

James

1/31/08 2:37pm

Very interesting and promising research.

However, one correction: Exendin-4 is not Byetta (Exenetide). They are similar, and Byetta is supposed to mimic Exenedin-4, but Byetta does not necessarily do everything Exendin-4 does, including regenerating islet cells.

Tina Seiler

2/ 3/08 11:52pm

David,

Is this last comment true? I am confused, does Byetta regenerate beta cells or not?

Tina (I feel like someone rained on my parade)

David Mendosa, Health Guide

2/ 4/08 1:03pm

Dear Tina,

Byetta is simply the synthetic version of the natural hormone exendin-4. Otherwise, they are the same and do the same things. Your parade can continue!

David

Diabetes Drug Byetta Regenerates Type 2 Islet Cells

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