A FINE CUT - Research has shown that among obese patient with type 2 diabetes who underwent laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, as many as 84 percent experienced a complete reversal of their diabetes.

Because obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, it makes sense that losing weight can help treat the disease, but the surprising finding is that gastric bypass surgery appears to have an almost immediate effect on diabetes. In fact, many patients who underwent the procedure were able to stop taking their diabetes medications before leaving the hospital. These findings are very promising for the treatment and understanding of diabetes, but results are extremely preliminary and much more research needs to be done.

Currently, candidates for gastric bypass surgery must have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 pr more. In the future, It may be possible for people with a lower BMI to undergo gastric bypass surgery in an effort to treat their diabetes, but the data are not clear enough at this pointy to warrant a change in medical guidelines.

Gastric bypass can cause serious complications, including electrolyte abnormalities, lifelong nutrient deficiencies, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and their doctors must seriously weight the benefits versus the risk before deciding to undergo surgery.

Bed-time Story

BAD NIGHT LOSING Z’s? Instead of insomnia, you may simply have less capacity to sleep. A small sleep-lab study of healthy adults suggests that older people take longer to fall asleep and spend less time asleep, on average, adding up to an overall reduction of 90 minutes a night. The study compared the sleep habits of 18 to 32.

Recognizing that the maximum capacity for sleep changes even during healthy again may lead to a different view of sleep complaints associated with again, the study concluded. “If older people believe that they need more sleep than they can achieve, even when they spend extra time in bed, then they may complain of insomnia,” explained co-researcher Elizabeth Kierman, MD, of Harvard University. “They may start using medications needlessly, If they are tired during the day, they should consider evaluation for a sleep disorder that may be interfering with their ability to obtain good sleep at night.

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