Cell therapy for type 2 diabetes

Cell therapy is an innovative technique based on the use of autologous stem cells.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that occurs as a result of insulin resistance and depletion of the function of pancreatic β-cells. This leads to chronic hyperglycemia, impaired carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, and the development of severe complications. In addition, diabetes mellitus increases the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults by 2–3 times.
Receiving such an unpleasant diagnosis means that the patient’s life and diet undergo fundamental changes, and blood sugar levels must be constantly monitored. In addition to classical treatment methods, today patients can turn to cell therapy, a new technique based on the use of autologous stem cells. Our Smart Cell cell laboratory offers an innovative AntiDiabetCELLNESS® program, which includes cell therapy for a systemic effect on the body, improving insulin sensitivity, restoring pancreatic β-cells, and protecting against complications of type 2 diabetes.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is not only a decrease in the sensitivity of receptors to insulin and the inability to use it fully, but also a number of serious complications that develop gradually. Diabetes is dangerous because:

• creates systemic inflammation and metabolic stress, which increases insulin resistance;
• causes vascular damage (angiopathy) – the basis of retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy;
• leads to complications from the heart and blood vessels (heart attacks, strokes);
• causes visceral obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia;
• significantly reduces the quality of life of patients and increases the risk of disability.

In the initial stages, external signs of diabetes may not manifest themselves at all. Diabetes is treated by an endocrinologist.

Causes and symptoms of type 2 diabetes

The diagnosis of “type 2 diabetes” is often associated with genetic characteristics and the risk of developing the disease is higher in people whose relatives had the same problem. DM2 is often associated with low physical activity, overweight and high stress levels. Therefore, in many cases, prevention of the disease helps prevent type 2 diabetes. In particular, this is proper nutrition, increasing the proportion of whole grain products in the diet, playing sports and weight control. What you can eat with diabetes, you can find out at a consultation with an endocrinologist. You can understand that a person has diabetes by the following signs:

• overweight, obesity;
• weakness, rapid fatigue;
• numbness, tingling in the extremities;
• visual impairment, headache;
• constant thirst and frequent urination;
• frequent infectious diseases, poor wound healing in diabetes;
• increased blood pressure, heart pain.

From the psychological side, a frequent complication is inadequate behavior in diabetes mellitus – with a sharp drop in sugar levels (hypoglycemia), the patient becomes irritable, aggressive and anxious.

Indications for cell therapy in type 2 diabetes

Treatment with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) allows you to get rid of not only the symptoms of type 2 diabetes itself, but also the most common complications. Cell therapy for type 2 diabetes helps in the following cases:

• diabetic retinopathy (specific damage to the retina of the eye) – MSCs reduce inflammation of the retina, improve microcirculation, reduce the risk of hemorrhages;
• diabetic nephropathy – restoration of blood supply to the kidneys, reduction of fibrosis, slowing down renal failure;
• diabetic neuropathy – improvement of nerve fiber nutrition, reduction of pain, tingling;
• angiopathy – improvement of vascular condition, reduction of the risk of cardiovascular catastrophes;
• diabetic foot (foot damage in diabetes mellitus, manifested by skin discoloration, peeling and eventually the appearance of ulcers) – stimulation of tissue regeneration, improvement of wound healing;
• metabolic syndrome – reduced insulin resistance, improved lipid profile, reduced body weight.

So, indications for cell therapy are the presence of type 2 diabetes and its complications.

The principle of action of cell therapy in type 2 diabetes

The principle of action of cell therapy is based on the fact that mesenchymal stem cells have a unique ability to transform into cells of other types, which allows them to influence processes throughout the body both at the local and systemic levels. The mechanism of action of MSCs in type 2 diabetes involves:

• reduction of systemic inflammation – MSCs suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines;
• improvement of tissue sensitivity to insulin by restoring its signaling pathways;
• regeneration of β-cells – restoration of their function and improvement of insulin secretion;
• vascular regeneration – restoration of the endothelium, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis;
• stimulation of neoangiogenesis – improvement of blood supply to affected organs;
• reduction of the risk of cardiovascular complications – due to reduced inflammation, improved vascular condition, normalization of lipids.

Thus, thanks to cell therapy, the patient’s condition improves, and the need for insulin decreases.

Results of cell therapy for type 2 diabetes

The AntiDiabetCELLNESS® program effectively fights both the complications of type 2 diabetes (including helping to relieve foot pain in diabetes) and its cause. Patients of the VIRTUS Institute report the following results of cell therapy:

• improved glucose control, reduced need for medication;
• reduced insulin resistance, normalized lipid profile;
• improved condition of the pancreas and β-cells;
• slowed development of complications: retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy;
• reduced risk of cardiovascular complications: heart attacks, strokes.

Thanks to this, the quality of life and mental state of patients improve.