There are several different types of diabetes that afflict individuals in the United States. Between type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, monogenic diabetes, and gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent. In fact, of the 34 million Americans living with diabetes, 90% of them suffer from type 2 diabetes. With an additional 88 million Americans living with prediabetes, the long-term outlook is not promising. Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly common and undiagnosed cases are still on the rise. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to help you delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, especially before it evolves from prediabetes. However, to help those who are currently dealing with ongoing management and lifestyle changes, new treatment options are continually being researched. Recently, there has been a revolutionary discovery that indicates treating type 2 diabetes with electromagnetism could be successful. We’ll discuss the research findings here and the potential implications of electromagnetism on type 2 diabetes treatment.
Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Amongst the types of diabetes that can affect individuals, type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent. Type 2 diabetes occurs slowly over time due to a gradual decrease in the body’s reactivity to insulin. This can be caused by a diet that’s high in ultra-processed foods, a lack of exercise, genetics, lifestyle habits, or a combination of several different things. Normally, your body breaks down the sugars from food and drinks to be converted into cellular energy. This is done through the assistance of insulin, which pulls sugar from the blood and transports it into cells. However, those living with type 2 diabetes either don’t produce enough insulin or don’t produce any at all. This leads to an accumulation of sugar in your blood stream, which deprives your cells of the energy they need to do their jobs. When glucose levels remain high in the blood stream, excessive strain is put on your heart. This strain can decrease circulation and therefore, cause problems with how your organs function.
While people living with type 1 diabetes have a greater risk of long-term complications due to early onset of the disease, type 2 diabetes can and does cause debilitating health conditions, especially when it’s not properly managed. Overtime, complications can cause diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic foot ulcers, heart disease, stroke, infections, gastroparesis, diabetic ketoacidosis, damaged blood vessels, and more.
Traditional Treatment and Management of Diabetes
To avoid incurring both short and long-term complications, proper diabetes management is required. The first step is to be tested by your doctor for confirmation of a diagnosis. This will be done using a glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test. If your results are indicative of type 2 diabetes, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan to help you keep your blood sugar stabilized and keep complications at bay. Most treatment options for type 2 diabetes include blood sugar monitoring alongside healthy eating, regular exercise, and a weight loss regimen. Some individuals may need to administer insulin or other diabetes medications, while others may be able to manage their diabetes with lifestyle changes. Always follow your doctor’s instructions to ensure that you’re staying healthy and doing everything you can to mitigate potential problems. If, at any time, you have a question about your treatment plan, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor.
If your A1C levels are elevated, but not to the point of type 2 diabetes, you may be showing symptoms of prediabetes. Individuals who are diagnosed with prediabetes should work with their doctor to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes from manifesting. There are plenty of healthy lifestyle changes that you can make to help lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. The first step is to fully understand your risk factors so that you can take the proper care of your body. Next, make sure that you try to get to a healthy weight and maintain that weight over time. The less fat that you have in your abdomen, the more efficient your pancreas is. Since exercise is extremely beneficial in diabetes management and insulin resistance, make sure that you prioritize getting regular exercise throughout the week while eating a balanced diet filled with whole, nutritious fruits and vegetables. Reduce processed foods, drink plenty of water, and cut back on alcohol. If your prediabetes advances to type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor about treatment options discussed above. There have also been promising studies about reversing insulin resistance with electromagnetism.
What is Electromagnetism?
Electromagnetism is considered one of the four known fundamental forces of nature. It is the domain of gravity, which allows us to stay firmly planted on the Earth while it rotates around the sun. Electromagnetism is the force that causes like charges to repel and opposites to attract. While electromagnetism is a fairly complex study, it’s the process that ensures that stable atoms can be formed, and that chemistry can actually happen. As such, electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are extremely prevalent in our world. They’re required for the proper functioning of cell phones, navigation systems, and even medicines. The implications of electromagnetism continue to unleash new applications. This is especially true regarding the study of electromagnetism and type 2 diabetes.
The Effects of Electromagnetism on Type 2 Diabetes
In late 2020, research published in Cell Metabolism studied effects of electromagnetism on type 2 diabetes. This potentially revolutionary treatment option was actually found by chance when a researcher—Sunny Huang, M.D.-Ph.D. and his co-lead author—borrowed mice from a study where Dr. Calvin Carter was testing the effects of electromagnetic fields on the brains of animals. They needed the mice to practice measuring glucose levels. The mice that were being exposed to electromagnetic fields were genetically modified to have high blood sugar levels, so the researchers were surprised to find that all of the mice’s blood sugar levels were stable and within normal ranges. This led to further examination of the link between electromagnetism and type 2 diabetes.
Realizing that this relationship could have a profound impact on how diabetes is managed in humans, new research studies were initiated. The goal was to verify this link. After performing additional studies, it was found that “by combining static electric and magnetic fields that were 100 times the Earth’s natural levels and directing these at mice, researchers were able to change the mice’s blood sugar levels.” After only three short days of these EMFs, insulin resistance reversed. Not only were the results effective, but they were also long lasting.
Some Limitations of EMFs for Treatment
While this is a promising advancement in the world of diabetes, more research needs to be performed to determine the effects of electromagnetic fields on overall biology. While EMFs can be used to help normalize blood sugar levels, there is still a lot that’s unknown regarding how they affect other cells and molecules. More studies are being conducted using human cells in the laboratory and researchers intend to repeat experiments on animals with more humanoid physiology.
Lasting Implications of Electromagnetism
With these findings, researchers are optimistic that the future of type 2 diabetes care could eventually evolve and become much more manageable. In theory, due to the effect of EMFs on blood sugar and insulin response, an individual could undergo EMF therapy while sleeping in order to manage diabetes all day. This would eliminate the need for ongoing insulin administration and potentially even dietary restrictions. However, researchers are still in the early years of experiments and more information is needed to assess the effect of EMFs on the body’s overall cellular functioning.
As of now, studies are being performed on liver cells and showing promising results. The EMFs are altering the balance of antioxidants and oxidants in the liver, which helps to improve the body’s overall response to insulin. Research is ongoing, but hopefully in the near future we’ll have yet another way to help mitigate the harsh effect diabetes has on our bodies.
This research is an exciting development in diabetes management, but even if electromagnetism becomes approved for use in treating type 2 diabetes in humans, regularly checking your blood sugar is essential. This will be especially important during the first few years of utilizing EMF treatment—if that comes to fruition. To make sure that you’re doing everything you can to stay safe, healthy, and balanced, Byram Healthcare has a range of glucose monitors and educational resources at your disposal.
