Home Urine Test Measures Insulin Production in Diabetes: Throughout years of diabetic diagnosis and treatments, one thing that people continue to dislike is the many blood tests they have to endure to check for insulin production. Children who have diabetes can highly attest to this.

However, every year brings a chance for something new, something that helps take some of the pain away when it comes to testing for insulin production and this year, it’s an at home urine test. Children and adults alike would much rather take a urine test than a blood test. Urinating is something a person does naturally and does not hurt while bleeding is caused by a prick or poke and does cause pain. So of course, if given the option, they would choose a urine test and many diabetic patients are now finding out that they are given the option upon medical visits.

This urine test, designed, by Andrew Hattersley’s Exeter-based team at the Peninsula Medical School was developed for patients of have type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It was designed specifically to check for insulin production in one’s body, to make sure that the person being tested is creating their own insulin. It is quickly replacing blood tests in many hospitals and it is becoming highly popular among children who no longer have to deal with a painful prick or poke.

For patients who must take insulin injections, the at-home urine test measures their ability to make their own insulin without the need of an insulin injections. The test has met requirements for patients suffering from type 1, type 2 and rare types of diabetes.

Jillian, a woman of 35 years has recently tested the new at home urine test and found herself to be pleasantly surprise with the outcome. Jillian was diagnosed with diabetes when she was 19. Quickly, she was put on insulin injections so that her body could get insulin that it needs. The urine test was helpful in finding that Jillian was still creating her own insulin. Jillian had been taking insulin injections for 14 years, but today, no longer has to.

Feeling extremely relieved, here is what Jillian had to say. “Being told I don’t have to take insulin injections any more has changed my life.”

This study was taken on 300 patients and led by Dr. Rachel Besser and Dr. Angus Jones and was funded by the Diabetes UK.

Dr. Rachel Besser commented. “The urine test offers a practical alternative to blood testing. As the urine test can be done in the patient’s own home we hope that it will be taken up more readily, and more patients can be correctly diagnosed and be offered the correct treatment.”