Can a 50 y/o reverse type 2 diabetes through dietary changes?
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
My HbA1c was 8.9 when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year at age 50. Since then, I have lost around 26 pounds and completely cut out sugary drinks. Can someone who is 50 years old and has type 2 Diabetes still reverse it through dietary changes? My fasting blood sugar levels have already improved, but I am unsure if reversal truly means being cured or just temporarily controlled.
Please guide.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I understand your concerns.
What you have accomplished is genuinely meaningful.
If you get type 2 diabeteslater in life, losing 26 pounds and cutting out sugary drinks can make a huge difference.
Many diagnosed at about age 50 can push their blood sugar levels back into a non-diabetic range with continued weight loss, diet changes, more physical activity and sometimes medication.
When doctors talk about “remission” or “reversal,” they usually don’t mean that diabetes has been wiped out for good. This means that the blood sugar levels including HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) are below the diabetic range for a long time without the need of diabetes medication, but the underlying predisposition to diabetes is still there.
So it’s better to think of it as controlled or in remission, rather than gone away completely. The positive aspect of this is that your fasting sugars are getting better, which indicates that your body is reacting well to the changes you have made.
Even if full remission is not achieved, a substantial drop in blood sugar and weight greatly improves long term health and greatly reduces risk of complications .
I hope this information is helpful to you. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further queries.
Thank you.
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