Diabtes quickly cured by Gastric Bypass surgery

Sep 08, 2009

Impact of Weight Loss Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes

Evidence that weight-loss surgery can resolve type 2 diabetes continues to mount. A major analysis of over 100 studies showed that 77% of patients showed dramatic results from surgery—they exhibited no signs of diabetes and they could stop diabetes treatment (insulin, medications) entirely. When study results included both “improved” diabetes—meaning that less treatment was needed—and resolved diabetes, the number rose to 86% of patients.

Why does weight-loss surgery have this impact?
There may be several reasons. Weight reduction alone cannot account for diabetes resolution, since diabetes often improves very soon after surgery, long before weight is lost. Decreased caloric intake, which occurs with both gastric bypass and gastric band procedures, changes the way the body processes glucose. And there may be additional mechanisms unique to bypass procedures. Experts suggest that in rerouting the top part of the intestines, bypass surgeries alter the production of hormones that enhance insulin secretion and sensitivity. Such mechanisms may explain why bypass surgeries have higher diabetes resolution rates than banded procedures. 

Improvements in pre-diabetes
Patients with impaired glucose tolerance—which can be part of pre-diabetes—showed improvement after weight-loss surgery.

Rapid results
For some patients, diabetes was resolved almost immediately, within days of surgery. Others saw blood sugar levels begin to fall soon after surgery, becoming normal within a year.

Better diabetes results with bypass vs. band
Different types of weight-loss procedures have different degrees of impact on type 2 diabetes. Gastric bypass surgery resolved diabetes in 84% of patients, whereas gastric band procedures resolved it in 73%.

ADA recommendations
The American Diabetes Association now includes weight-loss surgery in its recommendations for some individuals with type 2 diabetes.

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