Reduce Dependency on Medications: Choose Stem Cell Therapy For Diabetes

The elevated blood glucose levels in diabetes might seem insignificant at first. However, gradually, excess glucose accumulates in nerves and blood vessels, which are linked to all organs of the body.  This accumulation gradually damages these structures, which affects the connected organs and triggers chronic medical diseases. Therefore, the susceptibility to complications such as cardiovascular disorders, kidney dysfunction, visual loss, etc., increases with diabetes.

The medications for diabetes manage blood glucose levels but require daily intake. Their prolonged use also causes undesirable side effects. After much investigation, scientists have turned their focus to Stem Cells for Diabetes as an innovative solution. It can offer lasting improvements without continuous use and also reduce dependency on diabetes medications. This blog outlines the potential of stem cell treatment and its application in diabetes.

How Does Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes Work?

Unlike other body cells, stem cells have the remarkable ability to replicate themselves and transform into multiple cell types. These abilities allow them to replenish the depleted cell population in a damaged or diseased organ. As a result, the organ’s capacity to function improves. Stem cells for diabetes use diverse mechanisms to treat the disorder, including the following:

• Form pancreatic beta-islets: They can convert into pancreatic beta-islets, the insulin-producing cells. As a result, the body begins to generate insulin on its own, eliminating the need for insulin medications.
• Diabetic Milieu: Every organ creates an environment or milieu that supports its functioning at a cellular level.  Diabetes disrupts the healthy environment in pancreas, which worsens damage and causes organ dysfunction. Stem cell therapy reinstate the supportive environment favorable for pancreatic regeneration.
• Inflammation: Inflammation is one of the factors behind organ impairment and disease progression. Stem cells exert anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the levels of inflammatory mediators, which halt or slow the disease progression.
• Blood Vessel Repair: The damage to vessels eventually spreads to the nearby organs. As a result, the person develops several clinical complications. Stem cells enhance the blood supply by forming new vessels, thus alleviating the risk of developing medical complications in the future.
• Immune Regulation: These cells also shift the immune balance towards regulatory T lymphocytes that control the body’s immune response against its organs. This property is especially relevant in Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disorder where immune cells attack on beta-islets.

Stem Cell Treatment Reverse Diabetes?

In 2025, a landmark clinical trial on stem cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes released its results. The treatment transplanted islet cells derived from stem cells into patients who had undetectable insulin levels. After a single session, all patients demonstrated normal glucose levels, which remained stable for the study period. About 83% of patients developed insulin independence by the end of the year.

Another breakthrough was achieved for type 2 diabetes. Stem cell-derived pancreatic islets were transplanted in the 59-year-old patient followed up for 27 months. Insulin levels increased by 3-fold after treatment. Complete withdrawal of insulin by week 11 and metformin by week 56 was realized. The glucose levels remained in the normal range, and variability in glucose levels also decreased.  

Both treatments reported that adverse events didn’t occur due to treatment, implying that the treatment for diabetes is safe.

Which Stem Cells to Use?

The scientific field has explored three different types of stem cells- adult tissue stem cells, embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Although ESCs and iPSCs have the highest regeneration potential, they can lead to tumor formation. Even the islets derived from these cells might contain untransformed cells carrying the risk of cancer. Due to ethical considerations, some countries have even banned the use of ESCs. Among the adult tissue stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the least risk of immune rejection and additional benefits that have promoted their use in the clinical trials:

1. Multiple Sources: MSCs can be extracted from many sources, including adipose tissue, bone marrow, umbilical cord, and dental pulp. With ongoing research, the number of sources is growing, increasing the availability of MSCs for treatment.
2. Therapeutic Properties: MSCs show anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, angiogeneic, immune modulation, and paracrine properties that treat the disorder at the deep cellular level in a holistic manner.
3. Abundance: MSCs can be easily expanded in vitro to increase the number of cells available for treatment.

All of these factors contribute to the application of MSCs in more than 50% of the clinical trials in diabetes. Umbilical cord has become the most popular source of MSCs due to painless extraction and has higher regenerative potential than MSCs from other sources.

Pros and Cons

Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment has its list of advantages and disadvantages mentioned below to provide a clear picture before opting for the therapy.

Advantages

• Treat the root of disorder: MSCs modulate several pathways at a cellular level that resolve the disorder from its root, unlike medicine, which only manages the symptoms.
• Works on diabetes-related complications: Medications balance the blood glucose levels, whereas MSCs offer a holistic effect by treating diabetes and the damage it causes to other organs. Research has suggested that stem cell therapy is effective in treating diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, etc.
• Reduce dependency on daily medications: Stem cell treatment alleviates the need for medications for normalizing glucose levels. Some patients have even shown 100% independence from medications. It lowers the daily hassle with medications and also prevents their associated side effects.
• Lasting Effects: Clinical trials have demonstrated that effects of the therapy remain for a year or more after the treatment. More long-term studies might reveal an extended time period till the improvements remain stable.

 Disadvantages

• Not the Mainstream Treatment: Stem cell therapy is yet to be approved for standard treatment. More clinical trials with larger sample sizes and optimized treatment protocols will enable its inclusion in standard treatment modalities.
• Availability: The treatment is not as widely available as diabetes medications. They are available at only a few centers and are often a part of clinical trials.
• Varied Results: The results of stem cell therapy vary with individuals. At the same time, some patients notice substantial improvements, while others experience no effects of the therapy, whether positive or negative.

The cost-effectiveness of the treatment and the integration of advanced technology have encouraged a considerable number of patients to seek Stem Cell Treatment for Diabetes in India. It is therefore necessary for them to know and for the clinician to inform them to make an informed decision.

Diabetes Patient Success Stories

Conclusion

Scientists have been searching for effective alternatives for diabetes treatment. The last few decades have seen a gradual rise in stem cell treatments. In comparison to the prescribed medications, MSCs offer a regenerative approach to produce insulin naturally. Through diverse pathways, they treat the disorder from a deeper level. The therapy offers independence from daily medications (insulin, metformin, etc.) and their side effects while also maintaining normal glucose levels. Even the clinical trials have shown favorable results with stem cells without any adverse effects. However, the therapy requires standardization of the treatment protocol for integrating it into mainstream interventions. The growing number of trials will soon address aspects such as dosage, the number of sessions, the interval between sessions, and the administration route to facilitate clinical translation. Advancells is nurturing the growth of diabetes stem cell treatment in India with its ethically sourced, stringently tested, and high-quality stem cells.

FAQ’s

Q- Can stem cells treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

Absolutely. These cells are effective for the treatment of both types of diabetes by increasing insulin production, driving pancreatic regeneration, and modulating immune response.

Q- How many sessions of stem cell treatment are required?

The sessions are based on factors such as age, comorbidities, etc. Therefore, the number of sessions can vary for each individual.

Q- Can managing diabetes ensure the absence of other medical complications?

Diabetes management reduces the risk of chronic disorders, but cannot ensure their absence. These complications might develop from other factors. Trials have concluded that diabetes treatment has significantly increased the lifespan of people.

Q- When can I see improvement after stem cell treatment?

The therapy works slowly to repair the organ; therefore, effects might become visible from weeks to months. The course of improvements, however, varies with individuals.