American scientists from Southern California, based on the results of research, argue that a diet that mimics fasting promotes the restoration of pancreatic cells.
In the course of research, it turned out that a low-calorie diet consisting of low-protein and low-carbohydrate foods with a high fat content can “reboot” the body, activating the regeneration mechanism in the cells of the pancreas. A similar process occurs in stem cells, and scientists have long attributed its existence to the ability of human organs to partially recover, but how it can be used was not known until recently. Fasting became an unexpected decision in the search for an activation mechanism.
At the initial stage, the experimental rodents were brought to a state of extreme stress by fasting, and then fed, returning to normal. It is during the period of starvation that a certain mechanism for reprogramming cells begins to work in cells, restoring non-functioning parts of organs.
The diet has been tested in humans as well. For five days, the volunteers ate only low-carbohydrate, low-protein, high-fat foods, and for the next 25 days they were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. Such a regimen, according to the scientists, made it possible to simulate periods of fasting.
American scientists have been able to prove that cells can be reprogrammed with diet, without resorting to complex gene modifications. According to scientists, this discovery will allow the development of a new way to combat diabetes (during the experiments in mice, the blood sugar level was sharply equalized). They hope that further development of a new diet will restore insulin production in the human body, thereby eliminating the cause of the disease.
Insulin cross?
Diabetes mellitus, with all the advances in science in the field of medicine, continues to remain on the list of non-treatable ailments. And today, insulin therapy remains the leading method of treating diabetes, which can significantly improve the health of patients. Insulin is used in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes when treatment with hypoglycemic drugs is ineffective.
Unfortunately, diabetics, willy-nilly, are “hostages” of insulin injections: they must always have a syringe with insulin with them …. and God forbid they lose, forget or break it, because their lives depend on it.
American scientists are conducting research that, in their opinion, will soon save people with diabetes from daily insulin injections.
The essence of the discovery is based on the fact that with type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas stop producing the hormone insulin, which is necessary for the regulation of blood glucose levels. Scientists, under the guidance of Professor Douglas Melton, were the first to grow a huge number of human cells (beta cells) that produce insulin, which are virtually identical to the cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for this function in the body. Embryonic stem cells were taken as a basis.
American scientists are confident that very little is left before the successful completion of clinical trials. Now the unique drug is being tested on animals. Several months ago, some of them underwent transplantation of artificially grown cells that regularly produce insulin.