Gastric banding helps in slowing down prediabetes: Study

A new study has found that gastric banding, a type of bariatric surgery for weight loss, is as effective as taking a pill of Metformin to slow down prediabetes.

A study by America's National Institute of Health confirmed the truth behind it.

In a study which involved Beta Cell Restoration through fat mitigation study, out of 88 participants, half of them were randomly assigned to receive a gastric banding procedure, involving placement of a band around the upper part of the stomach to slow digestion, while the others received the drug metformin, which is the most common first-line medication for people with prediabetes and early type 2 diabetes.

It was found that both the gastric band group and the metformin group had similar results that showed similar insulin sensitivity and relatively stable function of insulin-producing cells, with small improvements in blood glucose levels.

These results were a part of a set of three clinical trials designed to find ways to reverse or slow the loss of insulin production and release in people at risk for type-2 diabetes or recently diagnosed with the disease so that they can stay healthier longer.

The study appeared in the Diabetes Care journal.