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Michael Dansinger, MD

Joined: 02/03/2010

Expert Profile:

Michael Dansinger, MD, is a nationally recognized authority on dietary and lifestyle counseling for weight loss and disease prevention. He is the nutrition doctor for NBC's hit prime time series The Biggest Loser, and a contributor to the best-selling book series based on the show. He has been interviewed about his weight loss experience on the Today show, CNN, National Public Radio, Oprah magazine, Time magazine, Consumer Reports, USA Today, the New York Times, and many other media organizations.

Dansinger holds multiple academic positions. He is the clinical nutrition and obesity editor for the Medscape Journal of Medicine, an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, a scientist with the USDA Nutrition Research Center, and a member of the division of endocrinology at Tufts-New England Medical Center.

His research on dietary counseling in well known. He published the research study "Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers and Zone Diets for Weight Loss and Cardiac Risk Reduction" in The Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2005. He is currently conducting a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of the USDA food pyramid and a low-starch version of the food pyramid for weight loss and heart disease reduction. He directs a "Diabetes Reversal Program" where he uses lifestyle coaching to achieve diabetes remission in over 25% of his patients.

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Reply: How to measure your pancreas function

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

I would agree you are not a candidate for medications, and there are no...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

25 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:How to measure your pancreas function I would agree you are not a candidate for medications, and there are no...

Reply: How to measure your pancreas function

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

Ok. So assuming your speculations and interpretations are correct (which they...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

25 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:How to measure your pancreas function Ok. So assuming your speculations and interpretations are correct (which they...

Reply: How to measure your pancreas function

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

Thanks for raising such in-depth issues. I like this summary: ...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

25 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:How to measure your pancreas function Thanks for raising such in-depth issues. I like this summary: ...

Reply: Eating for type 2 diabetes reversal

http://blogs.webmd.com/life-with-diabetes-2/2009/07/eatin...

I'd love to write a book about diabetes reversal. It is on my "to do" list!

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

34 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Eating for type 2 diabetes reversal I'd love to write a book about diabetes reversal. It is on my "to do" list!

Reply: How to measure your pancreas function

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

Yes and no. C-peptide is a useful way to get a general handle (rough...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

25 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:How to measure your pancreas function Yes and no. C-peptide is a useful way to get a general handle (rough...

How to measure your pancreas function

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

Pancreatic beta cell function can be roughly estimated by measuring fasting...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa

Pancreatic beta cell function can be roughly estimated by measuring fasting insulin and glucose simultaneously (ask your doctor for these blood tests), then using this downloadable calculator (HOMA calculator) to assess the estimated beta cell activity and insulin resistance.

http://www.dtu.ox.ac.uk/index.php?maindoc=/homa/

HOMA stands for "homeostasis model assessment". The general concept is that the higher your insulin resistance (due to excess body fat, genetics, or other causes), the harder your beta cells need to work to produce enough insulin to keep the glucose levels normal. Someone with lots of insulin resistance, say twice as much (200%) of a normal healthy person, will have to have lots of beta cell activity (150% or 200%) just to compensate. Over many years of excess beta cell activity (over 100% activity), then in SOME individuals the beta cell activity will start to peter out, as reflected by lower insulin levels (or inappropriately non-elevated insulin levels in the face of mildly elevated glucose), and the calculator will indicate there is only around 50% beta cell activity. The A1c doesn't start to go up into the prediabetic range (A1c 6.0-6.4) until the beta cell activity is around 60%-50%. Beta cell activity in the 40% or less range is what we see in type 2 diabetes.

If we measured insulin and glucose and used the HOMA calculator in seemingly normal patients with moderate-to-high risk of eventual type 2 diabetes--such as patients with parents or siblings with type 2, or in patients wiith obesity, then we could probably clarify the diabetes risk even sooner. We would not have to wait until beta cell function is 60%. We could spot it when it is at 80% etc. and monitor it. I think this is a concept scientists should explore further as a potential component of a national diabetes prevention/reversal strategy.

So I encourage you to download the HOMA calculator and assess your beta cell function and insulin resistance if you can get simultaneous fasting insulin and glucose levels.

Michael Dansinger, MDView Thread

Posted byMichael Dansinger, MD

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25 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:How to measure your pancreas function Pancreatic beta cell function can be roughly estimated by measuring fasting...

Reply: Principles of Diabetes Reversal

http://blogs.webmd.com/life-with-diabetes-2/2009/06/what-...

Here is the link to part 2 ...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

8 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Principles of Diabetes Reversal Here is the link to part 2 ...

Principles of Diabetes Reversal

http://blogs.webmd.com/life-with-diabetes-2/2009/06/what-...

Most, but not all, people with type 2 diabetes have enough remaining...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

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31 of 44 found this Resource helpful

8 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Principles of Diabetes Reversal Most, but not all, people with type 2 diabetes have enough remaining...

Eating for type 2 diabetes reversal

http://blogs.webmd.com/life-with-diabetes-2/2009/07/eatin...

I encourage all people who are fighting against type 2 diabetes to consider...

Posted by Michael Dansinger, MD

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74 of 122 found this Resource helpful

34 Replies | ReplyReport This| Share this:Eating for type 2 diabetes reversal I encourage all people who are fighting against type 2 diabetes to consider...

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