Last Updated on April 19, 2026
A recent study has shown an efficient way of reversing type 2 diabetes. Several medical procedures have gained huge popularity with patients that have trouble losing weight. Surgeries like gastric bypass, gastric banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and several others have shown huge advantages for those suffering from type 2 diabetes. Each surgical technique has its set of advantages and disadvantages. Being able to control your diabetes is a huge plus when it comes to being able to obtain diabetes life insurance, we are here to help you find coverage that will suit your needs!
Studies have shown that these popular surgeries help resolve diabetes more efficiently than diet and exercise alone. A study published in New England Journal of Medicine found that patients that underwent one of these surgeries showed drastic improvement to their overall weight, which translated to controlled diabetes. This study looked at 150 patients, all of them had “uncontrolled” type 2 diabetes. The study compared the effectiveness of traditional “intensive medical therapy” alone versus the results of bypass surgery or sleeve gastrectomy. All of the patients had lifestyle coaches, home glucose monitoring, and new drug therapies. Every three months after the surgery, the patients met with diabetes specialists to assess their progress and receive suggestions.
The study had exciting results for diabetics. The patients that received gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy had much lower fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels compared to those that were just using traditional methods. The surgical patients saw improvements in their diabetes as quickly as three months. The patients that received the surgeries drastically reduced the amount of diabetes medications they required. The amount of insulin used in the surgical group was reduced by 8% in the sleeve gastrectomy group and 5% in the gastric bypass group.
These results not only provide a possible solution to the diabetes epidemic, but it also gives us more details about how diabetes operates inside of the body. This study showed the incredible results that losing weight could have on diabetics, even those with uncontrolled diabetes.
Not everyone who is overweight is eligible for these weight loss surgeries. There are several specific requirements that patients must meet before they can be approved for surgery. The first possible qualification is patients must have a BMI over 40 (typically more than 100 lbs. overweight). The second is have at least two related health complications such as hypertension, apnea, respiratory disorders, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or others. The last possible one is to be unable to lose weight over a long period using traditional weight loss methods.
Your doctor will decide which type of surgery will work best for you, but all of the three major surgery types are efficient at helping patients lose weight. Gastric bypass helps patients lose around 70% of their excess weight. Sleeve gastrectomy patients lose an average of 60% and gastric banding patients around 50%. Anyone that has one of these surgeries is given a recommended diet to prevent side effects and keep them at a healthy weight after the procedure. After gastric bypass surgery, patients are only allowed to eat liquid or pureed for several weeks after the procedure.
While all three of great at helping a patient lose weight, gastric bypass is one of the fastest working surgeries. Gastric bypass patients will begin to see results quickly and typically see full results around a year or more after surgery.
If you meet some of these requirements, talk to your doctor about the having one of these weight loss procedures. You and your doctor can weigh the advantages and disadvantages for your specific situation. All of the procedures used in the study are considered “safe” with few side effects. Some of these side effects include tiredness or weak feeling, dizzy, nausea, dehydration, and a few more minor effects.
