Diabetes is often called a lifestyle disease. It is a chronic condition that affects more than 589 million adults globally.  In India, over 101 million individuals are affected with Diabetes, while more than 136 million are diagnosed as pre diabetic.  

Despite the presence of various therapies, there is a rising global burden of Diabetes. This highlights the need for advanced regenerative solutions that can combat the problem. 

Understanding Diabetes and Its Types

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic problem that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce sufficient quantities of insulin or the individual's body is unable to use the insulin produced by the pancreas. Diabetes is of multiple types, including:

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM): T1DM, also called juvenile Diabetes characterized by impaired insulin production. Often affects children from birth and is independent of lifestyle factors. Stem cell for T1 Diabetes is devoid of any lifestyle factors and is associated with autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. 

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): T2DM occurs among individuals when the body uses glucose for energy. This prevents the use of insulin that is produced by the pancreas, hence a spike in blood glucose level occurs. Lifestyle changes can effectively aid in the prevention and management of T2DM.  

Gestational Diabetes: Diabetes developed during pregnancy, which might go away after pregnancy. However, gestational diabetes increases the onset risk of developing T2DM.

Some other forms of Diabetes include Type 3c Diabetes, latent autoimmune Diabetes in adults, neonatal Diabetes, etc.

Symptoms associated with Diabetes

The common diabetes include:

• Increased thirst (polydipsia)

• Fatigue

• Slow healing of cuts and sores

• Blurred vision

• Frequent urination

• Numbness or tingling sensation

• Unexplored weight loss

Standard Treatment recommended in Diabetes

The management of Diabetes involves the combination of multiple strategies depending on the problem severity. The standard management plans include:

Routine blood sugar monitoring: Monitoring blood sugar regularly provides regular updates on how an individual's Diabetes is managed. The standard device includes a finger stick or continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Oral Medication: common T2DM medication includes metformin, sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLT2) inhibitors, DPP-4 inhibitors, etc. In the case of T1DM and severe T2DM, management is prescribed with insulin injection. Standard devices for insulin injection include pens, pumps, and rapid-acting inhalable insulin.

Diet: Choosing a diabetic diet with low carb and high fiber help in management of blood glucose levels

Exercise: Regular exercise significantly increases insulin sensitivity

However, the current treatment regime faces specific challenges, making diabetes management challenging. The common challenges include:

• Poor knowledge about Diabetes and its effective management

• Non-adherence to treatment guidelines and lifestyle changes

• Optimization of current therapies for maintaining adequate glycemic control

• Reducing barriers to early insulin use

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*NOTE: Diabetes is a complex condition, and the treatment might work differently among individuals. Moreover, T1DM is the most complex as insulin-producing beta cells are lacking in the bodies of individuals

To combat such challenging, regenerative medicine is an evolving area that turns over the diabetes treatment regime wholly.

Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes

Stem cell therapy globally and in India is a rapidly evolving area in regenerative medicine that has potential answers to combat all forms of Diabetes. The challenge associated with the Treatment of T1DM is significant, as the only option available is the introduction of external insulin. 

Stem cell therapy for T1DM can aid in the regeneration of pancreatic beta cells, hence can restore the body's ability to produce insulin. This is the only way that eliminate complete dependence on Medication and insulin. 

Although Stem cell Therapy for Diabetes Treatment is not yet FDA-approved, private clinics following high regulation standards for stem cell production and introduction of them in Diabetes patients are paving a new way of Treatment.

How Stem Cell Therapy Works for Diabetes Patients

Adult stem cells (ADSs) are multipotent stem cells that potentially differentiate into a variety of adult tissues. They have the ability to release various growth factors, cytokines, and chemokines that result in the repair and regeneration of desirable adult cells or tissues. These cells can be obtained from fat or adipose tissue and bone marrow of the patient and can be injected into the same patient after purification in a few hours. 

As the patient's own body cells are used, the risk of immune rejection is negligible.

Success Story: Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment in India

Dr. Sagar Jawale, pediatric surgeon from Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India, used fat cells to obtain Stem Cells as they have 3000 times more stem cells compared with bone marrow. The cost of stem cell therapy in the USA is usually Rs30 lakhs, and Rs. 5 lakhs in India. 

Dr. Jawale's strategy of using patients' own fat cells for stem cell therapy dropped the cost to 75,000 to Rs. 90,000. The progress is not just successful but cost-effective as well.  

Future of Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes

The breakthrough in stem cell therapy for Diabetes has introduced a paradigm shift in diabetes treatment. Patients opting for stem cell therapy for Diabetes in India must choose a renowned clinic for the Treatment. Besides, the quality of stem cells used must be of superior quality. Advancells is one of the leading manufacturers of stem cells that follow stringent guidelines for stem cell production.