Eype 2 diabetes is a metabolic condition that impedes the metabolization of glucose (or carbohydrate sugars) for energy. In the case of type II diabetes specifically, the patient’s body is usually insulin resistant, meaning it either doesn’t respond to the insulin hormone, which is responsible for sugar regulation, or the body produces inadequate levels of insulin to maintain proper energy. To repair these issues, your doctor may prescribe certain diabetes therapies or medications to manage fluctuations in glucose levels, and to reduce diabetes symptoms (i.e., increased urination, unquenchable thirst, weight loss, appetite increase, vision issues, slow healing wounds and infections, and chronic fatigue).

There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, however, the following treatments will help reduce symptoms and regulate blood glucose levels:

1. Metformin
Also known as Glumetza, this oral medication is taken by type 2 diabetics in order to help reduce glucose production within the liver. While metformin has been known to cause digestive upset (i.e., diarrhea and nausea), it does significantly boost insulin utilization in most diabetes patients, so they can use insulin effectively.

2. SGLT2 inhibitors
This oral antihyperglycemic type of medication is meant to aid the body’s elimination of blood sugar via the urine, so it’s not stored by kidneys and reabsorbed into the bloodstream. SGLT2 inhibitors are prescribed under names like Jardinace and Farxiga, and are associated with side effects such as low blood pressure, and frequent yeast and urinary tract infections.

3. Insulin
While not all type 2 diabetics require insulin therapy to manage blood sugars, those that do take it either via oral pill or injection in order to mimic the hormone made naturally in the pancreas, which turns glucose to energy. Taking oral or injectable insulin controls blood sugar spikes, such as hypoglycemia (too low) and hyperglycemia (too high). Insulin may be prescribed in several forms, such as:

• Insulin pump: delivers a continuous-slow infusion of insulin by catheter outfitted under the patient’s skin.
• Insulin injections: which are injected under the fatty skin of the thigh, arm, or abdomen via needle and syringe or injectable pen.
• Inhaled insulin: is taken similar to an asthma inhaler before meals to provide long-acting insulin control.