To make sure insulin taken orally is not useless before entering the blood stream. researchers are trying to find a chemical coating that will protect the insulin from the enzymes that break it down. The researchers from Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University did just that and found a chemical coating called a novel polymer.
The discovery of an insulin capsule is therefore becoming a real possibility. They need to do more testing to find out if it's suitable as an insulin delivery system. Dr. Colin Thompson, Research Fellow at the university's School of Pharmacy said that this will give hope to people living with diabetes.
In fact, researchers are continuing their search for what causes diabetes in the hope that they will find a cure or prevent this disorder. They have already found the genes that may be involved with IDDM and a NIDDM (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus). They have already identified some genetic markers so they can screen the relatives with this condition.
The above is a good thing, indeed, if used properly. But once greed sets in, there you go. This may be just fiction, but reading Robin Cook's "Marker" just gives me the creeps. It is so scary. I don't want to reveal the source of my displeasure of this novel except it is not due to Robin Cook. In fact, he's such an excellent writer, I couldn't put the book down!
That was a long side-bar and I didn't even give you a warning. But anyway, I'd like to say here that there's been an on-going study where the relatives of IDDM (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus) are identified and treated with low doses of insulin, hoping this will prevent diabetes.
Anyway, they are being treated now with the goal to see if this will answer the question on how to prevent diabetes. This is a long term study to find out if the therapeutic approach works. They have started this for sometime now but I have not seen the result yet and believe me, I am watching like a hawk, eight hours a day, seven days a week.
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