Gastric bypass tackles weight loss and appears to be effective in reversing diabetes. Recent research has shown that gastric bypass enhances tolerance to glucose as well as insulin sensitivity.
Well, just how does this technique manage to reverse diabetes? That was the question asked by a research team associated with the University of Oxford and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Diabetic rats were analyzed following gastric bypass surgery for the levels of hormones. There was an increased production of the hormone PYY. The gastric bypass surgery improves the function of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas because of this hormone.
“Increased PYY hormone = improved insulin function and diabetes reversal.”
In the presence of PYY, insulin levels improve and glucose tolerance is enhanced. The research team noted that the insulin-producing cells in type 2 diabetes begin to improve their insulin production when exposed to the PYY hormone.
This is an interesting finding that will generate avenues for the development of potential pharmaceutical drugs. Type 2 diabetes patients could be treated in a nonsurgical manner with a drug that can improve the secretion of the PYY hormone.
