Diabetes injection reduces side effects of insulin and body fat, study shows

A NEW daily jab to treat Type 2 diabetes reduces side effects of plain insulin and helps people shed the pounds


The injection can even help people loose weight

During trials, sufferers on longacting insulin and oral medication were given Xultophy instead and were shown to have significant improvement in blood sugar, with an average weight loss of 2.7kg (about 6lbs) and low rates of hypoglycaemia (very low blood sugar).

Diabetes Specialist Nurse Gwen Hall of Haslemere Health Centre, Surrey, said: “Many people with Type 2 diabetes would benefit from intensifying their basal insulin treatment but face additional barriers in terms of hypoglycaemia, weight gain and a potential increase in daily injections. It is very welcome news that [the drug] is available for patients.”

Type 2 diabetes affects about three million in the UK and costs the NHS over £10billion a year, 80 per cent from often-preventable complications including blindness, amputations and kidney failure. Insulin remains an effective treatment but it is often delayed due to the risk or fear of hypoglycaemia and weight gain.

Last night, Steve Bain, Professor of Medicine (Diabetes) at Swansea University said Xultophy “has the potential to reduce complications and help ease the significant cost burden on the NHS”.

Not all fat is bad, an Oxford university study has found.

Medics have long noticed that those who are obese are actually more likely to live longer after a heart attack.

The study found the fat surrounding blood vessels can cause the heart to send out antiinflammatory chemicals.