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Understanding Diabetes Cure, Reversal, and Remission

Lillian Simon, BSN, RN, NBC-HWC



“I want to get rid of my diabetes.”

“I don’t want to be diabetic anymore.”

“I want to reverse my diabetes.”


These are some of the statements I hear as a diabetes coach, especially during initial coaching calls. And it’s understandable — diabetes is a lot to manage day in and day out. The work the pancreas once performed silently is now something a person with diabetes (PWD) has to manage 24/7/365. The question that I hear most frequently from people with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is: How can I get rid of my diabetes?


So, can diabetes be cured? And what’s the difference between reversal and remission? Let’s find out!


Terminology

First, let’s take a moment to define some terms.


The root word of “reversal” is reverse, which means to undo, go in the opposite direction, or go backwards (1). With disease, reversal means returning to a state before acquiring it. Some may even relate it to being cured.


The word “remission,” more specifically “remit,” means “to lay aside partly or wholly” or to get relief from. Synonyms include decrease, decline, or shrink (2). Disease remission happens when the disease becomes inactive or enters a dormant state. It has not been eradicated; it’s simply not active. Under the right circumstances, it can be reawakened.


Unfortunately, many people, including clinicians, use the terms interchangeably, which can understandably be confusing. In 2021, an international diabetes group reviewed multiple terminologies and agreed upon the term remission (3).


Diabetes Remission

To better understand remission, let’s consider cancer. After undergoing treatment, a person may achieve remission, meaning cancer cells are no longer active and causing damage. During remission, they continue to see their oncologist for regular checkups to ensure they are still in remission and haven’t relapsed (4-5). Diabetes remission follows a similar concept.


Remission of T2D occurs when the A1C is less than 6.5% for at least three months without taking any diabetes medications, according to the 2021 Consensus Report conducted by four international diabetes organizations: the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Endocrine Society, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, and Diabetes UK (3, 6). This includes diabetes medications that may have been initially prescribed by another specialty to manage a different condition or disease. Some examples include a bariatrician prescribing GLP-1s for weight loss or a nephrologist prescribing SGLT2 Inhibitors to slow the progression of chronic kidney disease. To determine true remission, all diabetes medications must be stopped. This, however, is not possible for PWD who depend on insulin, such as those with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and insulin-dependent T2D.


Intensive Lifestyle Changes

So how can a non-insulin-dependent PWD achieve remission? According to the ADA Standards of Care (2026), “[i]ntensive lifestyle interventions and/or metabolic surgery can lead to diabetes remission” (7).


Intensive lifestyle changes typically include:

  • Regular physical activity

  • A healthy, well-balanced diet

  • Drinking mostly water

  • Effectively managing stress

  • Getting quality sleep


These changes must be permanent — hence lifestyle changes — if a person with T2D hopes to keep their diabetes inactive. Otherwise, relapse is likely, and the A1C may rise above 6.5%. So, how can one achieve this?


This is where having a diabetes coach becomes valuable. A 2026 article in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism found that digital coaching can reduce A1C by up to 0.8% over a year (8). Since coaching is conducted by phone or video, it is accessible to everyone, even in remote areas. The study found digital coaching to be just as effective as in-person coaching.


Health coaches are behavior change experts. Trained, board-certified health coaches provide a nonjudgmental space where PWD can work toward their self-directed goals. Through consistent sessions, they learn more about their behaviors, obstacles, and patterns — and how to move past them. Eventually, these small steps become habits, which lead to the healthy lifestyle they desire.


Whether this leads to remission varies from person to person, depending on the duration and complications of one’s diabetes. However, every person with diabetes benefits from incorporating healthy habits into their lives. These habits help prevent or delay complications, improve insulin sensitivity, and may reduce medication needs.


Can Diabetes Be Cured?

The short answer is no — not yet. But progress is being made. Since 1974, researchers have been working on an islet cell transplant for T1D to reduce or eliminate the need for insulin injections. After decades of clinical trials, the FDA finally approved Lantidra in 2023, the first pancreatic islet cell transplant for adults with brittle T1D. While individual results may vary, some recipients did not need insulin for up to five years. They also needed to take immunosuppressants to prevent transplant rejection. In the meantime, researchers continue to explore other ways of creating pancreatic islet cells due to donor shortages (9-13).


Key Takeaways

Reversal and remission are not the same; the correct term is diabetes remission. While a cure for diabetes is still pending, remission is possible for non-insulin dependent T2D with intensive lifestyle changes or metabolic surgery. Partnering with a diabetes coach can support this lifestyle change. Even without remission, healthy habits can improve quality of life and reduce complications.



References


  1. Merriam Webster. Definition of Reverse. Merriam Webster. 2026. Accessed July 17, 2026. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverse


  2. Merriam Webster. Definition of Remit. Merriam Webster. February 28, 2025. Accessed July 17, 2026. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remitting


  3. Riddle MC, Cefalu WT, Evans PH, et al. Consensus Report: Definition and Interpretation of Remission in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2021;44(10):2438-2444. doi:10.2337/dci21-0034


  4. Cleveland Clinic. When Cancer Is in Remission. Cleveland Clinic; 2025. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24673-cancer-remission


  5. American Cancer Society. Can Cancer Be Cured? American Cancer Society; 2025. Accessed July 28, 2026. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/CRC/PDF/Public/9566.00.pdf


  6. ADA. International Experts Outline Diabetes Remission Diagnosis Criteria. American Diabetes Association. August 30, 2021. Accessed July 17, 2026. https://diabetes.org/newsroom/international-experts-outline-diabetes-remission-diagnosis-criteria


  7. American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee. Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care. 2026;49(Suppl 1):S37.


  8. Verket M, Buitkamp LF, Kanna NDD, et al. Effects of Coaching with Data Management System Intervention or Usual Care on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Multicentre, Randomised Controlled Trial. Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism. 2026;28(4):3377-3385. doi:10.1111/dom.70534


  9. Regents of the University of Minnesota. A Living History of Organ Transplantation. University of Minnesota; 2023. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/living-history-organ-transplantation-0


  10. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Cellular Therapy to Treat Patients with Type 1 Diabetes. FDA; 2023. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-cellular-therapy-treat-patients-type-1-diabetes


  11. CellTrans. Lantidra Product Information. CellTrans; 2023. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.lantidra.com/product-info


  12. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Pancreatic Islet Transplantation. National Institutes of Health; 2019. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/insulin-medicines-treatments/pancreatic-islet-transplantation


  13. Sacco F. UI Health Performs First Islet Cell Transplant with Lantidra. UIC Today; 2025. Accessed July 27, 2026. https://today.uic.edu/ui-health-performs-first-islet-cell-transplant-with-lantidra/

 
 
 

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