Type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate in the UK

Eleanor Kennedy

This is partly due to defects in a particular type of specialised cell found in the pancreas.

These B-cells produce the hormone insulin that regulates the way sugar is broken down in the body.

Treatment for type 2 diabetes usually includes changes to diet, taking more exercise, using agents which lower blood glucose and taking insulin.

However, new research suggests another answer may be a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).

GLP-1 also plays a role in insulin production - and is present in lower concentrations in people with type 2 diabetes.

Patients who took part in a pilot study showed marked signs of improvement after taking GLP-1.

The 20 participants, who all had type 2 diabetes, were given either GLP-1 or saline for six weeks continuously.

People who took GLP-1 showed signs that their B-cells were starting to work more effectively.

The level of sugar in their blood went down, and their appetite was reduced.

Study co-ordinator Jens Juul Holst from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, said the results suggested that treatment with the hormone had a significant impact on improving the way the body breaks down sugar.

Dr Holst said it had been feared that artificially boosting levels of a natural body chemical could cause problems.

But he said: "The study shows that a GLP-1 based treatment is likely to be effective in the long term."

Previous studies have shown that GLP-1 stimulates B-cell growth in animals.

Eleanor Kennedy, of Diabetes UK, said: "The results of the research so far are very interesting but more work needs to be done in this area.

"The number of people developing Type 2 diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate in the UK and it is vital that this problem is addressed."

The research is published in The Lancet.