Roux-en-Y Surgery Boosts Insulin Sensitivity for Type 2 Diabetes more than Traditional Diet Treatments

Finally the facts speak for themselves. A recent research study has proven that gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y) significantly increases insulin sensitivity for obese adult Type 2 diabetics over traditional diet options. In fact – 100% of the study population who received gastric bypass surgery, completely eliminated their Type 2 diabetic medications. This means that their insulin sensitivity challenges were entirely resolved through their gastric bypass surgery procedure.

This is compared to the control group who were put on traditional 800 calorie diets AND took at least  twice as long to reach the surgery group’s weight loss. Only 55% of the diet group was able to completely eliminate their diabetic medications.

The study was presented at the 92nd annual meeting of The Endocrine Society held in San Diego on June 21st 2010.  The Endocrine Society is one of the leading organization for scientists and physicians involved in the study of hormones and metabolism, molecular, cellular and systems communication and related fields. Acknowledged as the foremost authority for scientific and clinical leadership and innovation, the Society continues to pioneer basic science and discovery and clinical care that lead to enhanced treatment and cures for endocrine diseases including diabetes.

Judith Korner, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York presented the study. Dr Korner said; “Our study shows that in the short term, weight loss by diet alone does not achieve the same improvements in diabetes as gastric bypass surgery.”

Korner and her team found that gastric bypass surgery improved insulin sensitivity for Type 2 diabetics over traditional diet treatments. Insulin sensitivity helps the body’s cells to absorb insulin and allow them to utilize glucose sugar for energy from the bloodstream. Insulin sensitivity is reduced in people with Type 2 diabetes. Obesity worsens insulin sensitivity for Type 2 diabetic. The result is high blood sugar levels in the blood.

The study compared the effects on diabetic adults of a low-calorie diet versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the most common gastric bypass procedure. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass decreases the size of the stomach and reroutes the digestive tract to bypass part of the small intestine. After gastric bypass, many diabetic patients achieve normal blood glucose control or vastly improved control, and some actually no longer require diabetes medications.

In the study, seven obese diabetic adults underwent gastric bypass surgery, Seven other obese patients with Type 2 diabetes received a traditional daily 800-calorie liquid diet treatment and no surgery. The study ended when both groups lost the same amount of weight: an average of 8 percent of body weight. However, the surgery-treated patients lost the weight faster: in about 3.5 weeks compared with 8 weeks for the dieters.

Surgical patients were able to discontinue all of their diabetes medications by the study’s end, but the dieters reduced their medication use by 55 percent.

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