Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDrug TreatmentsDiet and NutritionArtificial PancreasPancreas TransplantFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Drug Treatments
Diet and Nutrition
Artificial Pancreas
Pancreas Transplant
Frequently Asked Questions
Lifestyle changes such as eating adiabetes-friendly diet, exercising more, and maintaining ahealthy body weightcombined with existingtreatment optionsare the best way to prevent or managetype 2 diabetes.
This article provides an overview of type 2 diabetes experimental treatments and explains how the latest type 2 diabetes research has led to new Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approvedpharmacological treatments and devices like the “artificial pancreas.”
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Pharmacological Treatments
Only about half of all U.S. adults with type 2 diabetes achieve good blood sugar level targets based on theA1c test, a simple blood test measuring blood sugar levels averaged over the past three months.
Fortunately, advances in type 2 diabetes research have led to some groundbreaking experimental treatments and drug combinations that show promise in preliminary studies.
Mounjaro (Tirzepatide)
In May 2022, the FDA approved the novel type 2 diabetes injectable medication calledMounjaro(tirzepatide).Mounjaro is the first and only FDA-approved dual GIP and GLP-1 agonist medication for type 2 diabetes.
Glifozins
Accumulating evidence suggests that SGLT2 inhibitors have other health benefits such as promoting weight loss and improving cardiac functions.A meta-analysis (a formal assessment of previous research)of 10 clinical trials found that the use of SGLT2 inhibitors was associated with a 33% lower risk of life-threatening cardiovascular disease.
Wegovy (Semaglutide)
Tesaglitazar
In August 2022, a study in mice showed that combining tesaglitazar with GLP-1 agonists reduced the drug’s adverse effects while increasing its positive effects on sugar metabolism. Still, human studies are needed.
Special Dietary and Nutritional Treatments
Eating adiet to help type 2 diabetesis one of the most effective ways for people with type 2 diabetes to control blood sugar. If you have diabetes, it’s important to educate yourself about differenttypes of carbohydratesand to monitor your blood sugar levels using aglucometer.
Research on supplements for type 2 diabetes has had mixed results. After years of research, a study of 2,423 people concluded thatvitamin D supplementsdon’t prevent type 2 diabetes and may not have long-term benefits.That said, a 2019 meta-analysis of other peer-reviewed studies concluded that vitamin D supplements may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels in the short term.
Over-the-counter (OTC) nutritionalsupplements that lower blood sugarcan carry potential risks and are not intended to replacediabetes medications. Always use common sense and speak with a healthcare provider before making dietary changes or using nutritional supplements.
The “artificial pancreas” is a portable external device that controls blood glucose levels using a closed-loop insulin pump system.A 2021 study found that closed-loop artificial pancreas therapy helped people with type 2 diabetes safely manage their blood sugar levels and reduced the risk of severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) events.
Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes
However, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) eligibility criteria strictly limit access to pancreas transplantation in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Islet Transplant Surgery for DiabeticsIslet cell transplantation is a treatment option for some patients with type 1 diabetes but isn’t currently an FDA-approved option for those with type 2 diabetes.
Islet Transplant Surgery for Diabetics
Islet cell transplantation is a treatment option for some patients with type 1 diabetes but isn’t currently an FDA-approved option for those with type 2 diabetes.
Summary
Diabetes research has led to some groundbreaking new treatment options. In May 2022, the FDA approved a potentially game-changing new drug called Mounjaro (tirzepatide) that targets both GLP-1 and GIP. In September 2022, researchers announced that another experimental drug, tesaglitazar, which didn’t initially succeed in clinical trials, shows renewed promise when combined with a GLP-1 antagonist.
Other new treatments, like SGLT2 inhibitors, are effective for type 2 diabetes when combined with lifestyle changes related to diet and exercise. For people who have trouble losing weight, bariatric surgery and weight-loss drugs like Wegovy (semaglutide) can help people maintain a healthy weight and lower their risk of type 2 diabetes.
Experimental treatments for type 2 diabetes carry risks. Always speak to a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or taking nutritional supplements.
Frequently Asked QuestionsNo. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes. Losing weight, eating healthier, and exercising more can help to prevent and manage this type 2 diabetes. If diet, exercise, and weight loss fail to control blood sugar, antidiabetic medications or insulin therapy can help achieve glycemic targets.Learn MoreType 2 Diabetes Diagnosis and TreatmentIf you have diabetes and want to take something other thanmetformin, speak to a healthcare provider about your options. Some alternatives to metformin that people with type 2 diabetes can use to control high blood sugar include, Farxiga (dapagliflozin), Invokana (canagliflozin), Jardiance (empagliflozin), and Nesina (alogliptin).Learn MoreMetformin Recall: What to Do If This Affects YouThere’s little to no evidence-based research showing that specific vitamins are helpful to people with diabetes in the long term. Vitamin D may help people with diabetes in the short term, but a yearslong National Institutes of Health–funded trial ultimately found that vitamin D supplements do not prevent type 2 diabetes.Learn MoreSupplements That Lower Blood Sugar
No. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes. Losing weight, eating healthier, and exercising more can help to prevent and manage this type 2 diabetes. If diet, exercise, and weight loss fail to control blood sugar, antidiabetic medications or insulin therapy can help achieve glycemic targets.Learn MoreType 2 Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment
No. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes. Losing weight, eating healthier, and exercising more can help to prevent and manage this type 2 diabetes. If diet, exercise, and weight loss fail to control blood sugar, antidiabetic medications or insulin therapy can help achieve glycemic targets.
Learn MoreType 2 Diabetes Diagnosis and Treatment
If you have diabetes and want to take something other thanmetformin, speak to a healthcare provider about your options. Some alternatives to metformin that people with type 2 diabetes can use to control high blood sugar include, Farxiga (dapagliflozin), Invokana (canagliflozin), Jardiance (empagliflozin), and Nesina (alogliptin).Learn MoreMetformin Recall: What to Do If This Affects You
If you have diabetes and want to take something other thanmetformin, speak to a healthcare provider about your options. Some alternatives to metformin that people with type 2 diabetes can use to control high blood sugar include, Farxiga (dapagliflozin), Invokana (canagliflozin), Jardiance (empagliflozin), and Nesina (alogliptin).
Learn MoreMetformin Recall: What to Do If This Affects You
There’s little to no evidence-based research showing that specific vitamins are helpful to people with diabetes in the long term. Vitamin D may help people with diabetes in the short term, but a yearslong National Institutes of Health–funded trial ultimately found that vitamin D supplements do not prevent type 2 diabetes.Learn MoreSupplements That Lower Blood Sugar
There’s little to no evidence-based research showing that specific vitamins are helpful to people with diabetes in the long term. Vitamin D may help people with diabetes in the short term, but a yearslong National Institutes of Health–funded trial ultimately found that vitamin D supplements do not prevent type 2 diabetes.
Learn MoreSupplements That Lower Blood Sugar
24 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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