Many different drugs are used to treat type 2 diabetes, the most common type of diabetes. Formerly called adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes often occurs in overweight adults with insulin resistance. Byetta, an injectable medication, is not an insulin replacement but rather a drug that increases insulin secretion from the pancreas. Byetta belongs to a class of drugs called incretin mimetics. In some cases, Byetta may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels as well as lose weight.
Insulin Actions
Cells in the body need energy to perform their functions. After you eat, food breaks down in the intestine into glucose, which passes from the intestine to the bloodstream. When glucose appears in the bloodstream in higher than normal amounts, the pancreas produces insulin. Insulin helps cells absorb glucose. Insulin resistance occurs when cells that need glucose for energy become resistant to its effects and no longer remove glucose effectively from the bloodstream. People with insulin resistance have higher than normal levels of circulating glucose.
Effects
In people with insulin resistance, glucose levels may be elevated but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. A fasting blood glucose below 100 mg/dL is considered normal; FBS between 100 and 126 is considered pre-diabetic. If your fasting glucose levels rise above 126 mg/dL, you have diabetes. Over time, it takes more and more insulin to force cells to take up glucose from the bloodstream, and the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear out and stop producing insulin. At this point, insulin injections become necessary. Byetta increases the pancreas' insulin output.
Weight Loss
Insulin resistance has several effects on weight. People gain weight because they're hungry, often craving carbohydrates in an effort to get cells the glucose they need and eating more than they should. Byetta helps cells get the energy they need, which decreases fatigue and the feeling you need to eat because you have low energy levels. Byetta also slows the passage of food through the gastrointestinal tract, which reduces hunger by keeping you feeling full longer. When you eat less, you lose weight. Average weight loss over a two-year period with Byetta is 10 lbs, according to Sarah McCreary, doctor of pharmacy candidate at the University of Kentucky.
Considerations
Byetta has not been tested as a weight-loss drug for people who do not have type 2 diabetes, endocrinologist Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic explains. Byetta may cause pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas or kidney failure. Report symptoms of upper abdominal pain to your doctor promptly. Byetta may cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, can cause dizziness, shakiness, hunger, sweating or passing out. Always carry a piece of hard candy or sugar tablet with you in case of hypoglycemia.
