If you have or know someone who suffers from increased blood glucose (hyperglycemia), you may have wondered whether diabetes is curable Being very categorical and objective, endocrinologist Paula Pires, graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP), says that the answer to this doubt is no.

This is explained by the fact that diabetes is chronic. The disease, which affects 537 million adults worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation, starts gradually. Its causes are varied and its evolution is usually long and even uncertain. At the same time, the treatment consists of a continuous care process, but does not have a definitive effect.

"Once a person has been diagnosed with diabetes, it already means irreversible metabolic changes, such as insulin resistance and alteration in the functioning of the pancreas, which is the organ that secretes insulin. Therefore, prevention is really the best medicine," Paula warns.

Despite this scenario, there is good news for people with diabetes: the problem offers the possibility of remission.Metabology (SBEM).

Diabetes: The Difference Between Cure and Remission

Thais says that often the two terms (remission and cure) cause confusion when the subject is diabetes. After all, the state of remission can lead a person to believe that the condition is simply over or gone. The truth, however, is that if he or she stops following healthy lifestyle habits, especially regarding diet and exercise, the disease will return.

It is also important to emphasize that this happens only in the case of type 2 diabetes, which represents about 90% of the cases of diabetes patients. "It is caused by insulin resistance, which decreases the action of the hormone in the body, causing the body to increase the production of insulin to try to ensure normal glucose levels. When this 'movement' is no longer sustainable, thediabetes," details Thais.

This variety is associated with a high intake of fats and carbohydrates and a lack of physical activity. As a result, it especially affects adults over the age of 50, although the rates of the disease have been growing a lot among young people, teenagers, and even children.

This means that the immune system itself destroys the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. When this hormone is not produced, glucose ends up accumulating in the blood.

Because it is a response of the body itself, type 1 diabetes is not yet amenable to remission. Therefore, it is necessary to use insulin to control glucose levels in the bloodstream. According to Thais, there are even studies in progress on the subject, such as treatment with stem cells, but they are still in the early stages.

Is there a cure for diabetes: how to reach the remission stage?

To reach the remission stage, the ideal is for the person with diabetes to focus on having a healthy routine: for example, maintaining an adequate weight, adopting a balanced diet, and exercising regularly.

According to the doctor, some recent research indicates that, "in patients with less than six years of disease, low-calorie diets for three months, accompanied by progressive calorie reintroduction and a follow-up phase of weight loss maintenance, can achieve the stage of remission without the need for medication."

How to conquer quality of life

"Getting to remission from a disease is a very difficult and complex thing. Value the role of lifestyle on health, which includes quality sleep, stress management, meditation, mental health, healthy eating, physical activity, and happiness." These are Paula's guidelines for those with type 2 diabetes.

Thais complements the suggestions by indicating the search for a reliable endocrinologist: "He will be your right arm in the whole process, since he will follow the evolution of the disease, monitoring all the risks and possible problems.

Source: Dr. Paula Pires, endocrinologist graduated from the University of São Paulo (USP) and Thais Mussi, endocrinologist from the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology (SBEM).