The Diabetes Center of Excellence at Shands at UF

Q. Is there a cure for Diabetes?

Currently, there are no permanent cures for diabetes. However, in recent years, much progress has been made towards understanding the cause of this disease. And, many new therapies have been developed for treating diabetes including new longer acting insulins. Most exciting are recent findings that showed that lifestyle interventions like simple weight loss and moderate exercise for people at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, reduced that risk by 58%. New research developments in the fields of gene therapy, pancreatic transplants and islet cell transplantation also hold great promise for a cure.

Q. My doctor says I need a "hemoglobin A1c" test. What is this?

A.	This is a test that gives your doctor an idea of your average blood sugar control over the previous three months. It can be done with a finger stick in your doctor's office or in conjunction with other tests your doctor may send out to a laboratory. Knowing your HBAlc gives you a good idea of how well your diabetes is in control. Current recommendations consider a value of 6.5% to be normal. Higher values may indicate that drug therapies may need to be changed or that the patient needs to improve dietary or other lifestyle interventions. Hemoglobin Alc tests should be done quarterly - they DO NOT replace daily blood sugar testing.


Q.	I have high blood sugar, but I don't eat anything with sugar in it! Why do I have to eat a low fat diet?

Some people think that avoiding "sweets" will lower their blood sugar, but many different foods, especially carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, etc.) and fats, can be broken down into glucose (a form of sugar). The liver, as well, makes glucose. For people who are deficient in insulin or have insulin resistance, eating these foods can quickly increase blood sugar since there is not enough insulin available to help the body's cells metabolize the sugar in the blood and it builds up quickly. If one is overweight, a low-fat diet can be quite effective in weight reduction - a significant risk factor for people with Type 2 diabetes. A low fat diet can also help control cholesterol levels and, as a result, reduce one's risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Q. Can exercise cure diabetes?

There is no cure for diabetes, but exercise in moderate amounts - 20-30 minutes several times a week - has shown to be of demonstrable benefit to patients with diabetes. Here's why: exercise helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. This in turn, helps lower one's risk of cardiac disease - a major complication of diabetes. Exercise also helps to lower blood glucose directly by pushing sugar into working muscles and, it helps in weight loss. As always, before beginning any exercise program, your physician should be consulted!

Q. Will diabetes shorten my life?

Before the discovery of insulin, diabetes was a terminal disease with no known long term treatment. Its discovery and the advent of oral drug therapies have greatly increased the quality and quantity of life, for those diagnosed with diabetes. While averages may show that those with diabetes have a shorter lifespan than those who do not have the disease, recent scientific studies show that very careful control of blood sugar levels (Intensive Management) can reduce the risk of life-threatening complications including heart, kidney and nerve damage. Expanded focus and funding for research promises the development of new therapies and interventions in the new millennium.