The most widely used medication for diabetes is a diabetes pill. This oral diabetes medication can control blood sugar levels of persons whose bodies generate some insulin which is a condition experienced by individuals with type 2 diabetes. This medication for diabetes is combined with a specific diet and regular exercise for better results.
Types of diabetes pills are sulfonylureas, biguanides and thiazolidinediones. Biguanides improves the capability of insulin to move sugar into cells such as the muscle cells while sulfonylureas lower blood sugar by allowing the pancreas to discharge more insulin. Thiazolidine diones enhance the effectiveness of insulin in fat tissues as well as in the muscle.
Another oral medication for diabetic is meglitinides which stimulate the release of insulin. This diabetes pill is said to work quickly, however, has side effects such as weight gain, headache, nausea and low blood sugar. Dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 inhibitors also stimulate the discharge of insulin and also inhibits the secretion of glucose from the liver without resulting in weight gain unlike meglitinides. Possible side effects are sore throat, headache and upper respiratory tract infection.
Medication with diabetic or type 2 diabetes pills work well when combined with exercise and a doctor recommended meal plan, combining different kinds of therapies that collectively lower blood sugar levels. However, chances if diabetes pills curing your diabetes lower significantly if you have been suffering diabetes for more than 10 years or if you have taken more than 20 units of insulin for each day. The chances of diabetes pills to be successful only becomes high if you had diabetes only recently or if you have no need for insulin to stabilize your blood glucose levels. There are instances also when diabetes pills become ineffective after a few months or years for unknown reasons. However, this does not mean that your diabetes has worsen. All the diabetic needs to do is to subject himself or herself to oral combination therapy.