Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health problems in the world. More than 425 million people are living with the disease, and many of them need insulin every day to control their blood sugar.
For around 75 million people, this means regular insulin injections or wearing an insulin pump. Although these treatments save lives, many people find needles uncomfortable, inconvenient, and sometimes painful. Scientists have been trying for many years to find an easier way to deliver insulin without using injections.
Now, researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia and UiT The Arctic University of Norway have developed a new type of insulin that could one day be taken by mouth. Instead of injecting insulin, people may eventually be able to swallow a capsule or even eat a piece of sugar-free chocolate that contains the medicine.
The biggest challenge with oral insulin has always been the stomach. Insulin is a protein, and stomach acid quickly breaks it down before it can reach the bloodstream. This is why insulin has traditionally been given by injection rather than as a pill.
The research team solved this problem by placing insulin inside tiny protective particles called nano-carriers. These particles are incredibly small—about one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair. They are far too small to be seen with a normal microscope. The special coating protects the insulin as it passes safely through the stomach.
When the tiny particles reach the liver, the coating breaks apart and releases the insulin. This is important because, in healthy people, insulin produced by the pancreas naturally travels to the liver first. Traditional insulin injections send insulin throughout the body instead, which is different from the body’s normal process.
The new treatment closely copies the body’s natural way of using insulin. It releases insulin mainly when blood sugar levels are high and reduces the release when blood sugar falls.
This lowers the risk of hypoglycemia, a dangerous condition in which blood sugar becomes too low. Hypoglycemia can cause dizziness, confusion, fainting, seizures, and, in severe cases, can become life-threatening.
Professor Peter McCourt, a liver biologist at UiT, explained that sending insulin directly to the liver makes the treatment more efficient while reducing unwanted side effects. Dr. Nicholas J. Hunt from the University of Sydney said the new approach could provide a safer and more practical option for people living with diabetes.
The researchers also found another possible advantage. Because insulin reaches the liver first, it may reduce the fat build-up that can sometimes occur when insulin is spread throughout the whole body after injections. This could improve long-term treatment for many people with diabetes.
Convenience is another major benefit. The new insulin does not require needles, making treatment simpler and less stressful. It also does not need to be stored in a refrigerator, making it much easier to transport and use in hot climates or remote areas where refrigeration may not always be available.
Before testing the treatment in people, the scientists carefully studied it in animals. Diabetic mice and rats received the oral insulin and successfully lowered their blood sugar without developing low blood sugar episodes or gaining extra weight.
The team then tested the treatment in 20 healthy baboons in Australia. The insulin was mixed into sugar-free chocolate, and the animals willingly ate it. Their blood sugar levels dropped as expected, and no harmful side effects were seen.
The next step is human clinical trials. The first studies will examine whether the treatment is safe and whether it can control blood sugar without causing hypoglycemia in people with and without diabetes. If these trials are successful, larger studies will compare the new oral insulin with standard insulin injections.
Although more testing is still needed, this research offers hope that millions of people with diabetes may one day replace daily injections with a much easier treatment. If future clinical trials confirm that the medicine is safe and effective, taking insulin could become as simple as swallowing a capsule or enjoying a small piece of sugar-free chocolate.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about diabetes and vitamin B12, and the right diet for people with type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how to eat smart with diabetes, and turmeric and vitamin D: a duo for blood pressure control in diabetic patients.
The findings were published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
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