Dr. George Grunberger established and chairs the Grunberger Diabetes Institute in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in 2002. He is also Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine and of Molecular Medicine & Genetics at Wayne State University School of Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, and Visiting Professor in the First Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic).
As tenured Full Professor at Wayne State University in 1986, he established and directed the Diabetes Program at the Detroit Medical Center and the University’s Comprehensive Diabetes Center until 2002. He served as Director of Center for Molecular Medicine & Genetics (1997-2001) and as Interim Chairman of Internal Medicine at Wayne and Physician-in-Chief of the Detroit Medical Center (1995-1996).
He completed endocrinology & metabolism fellowship at the Diabetes Branch of NIDDK/NIH where he stayed on as Senior Investigator until 1986. Dr. Grunberger did his internal medicine residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland (Case Western Reserve University) and received his medical degree in 1977 at New York University School of Medicine and his Bachelor of Arts at Columbia College 1973 in New York City.
Why haven’t they advanced stem cell research which is capable of treating diabetes and other diseases?
Very complicated stuff; some advances made in animal models but no human success yet.
Can you discuss the correlation between diabetes and different skin disorders? I was diagnosed with Type 2 in 2012 and dealing with dry skin and skin tags.
Uncontrolled sugar causes many problems including increased pigmentation especially along shin bones; it will cause dehydration and dry skin, but am not aware about skin tags.
Can the doctor please elaborate on brown vinegar and blood pressure. Is vinegar an aid or is that a myth?
Seems like a myth, not aware of any proven connection
What is one of the first signs of being a diabetic in a healthy individual who is on no medications?
Tiredness, lack of energy, increased urination, increased thirst, increased hunger.
Please explain the bionic pancreas.
It’s a misnomer; it refers to an automated insulin delivery (connects the insulin pump and continuous glucose sensor, both worn separately through a computer interphase; it’s not “bionic” and it’s not a “pancreas” but it will likely be approved in 2017.
Do you recommend cinnamon for the treatment of diabetes, and if so, in what quantity?
Sorry, it cannot prevent or treat diabetes; in some studies it perhaps improved glucose tolerance but those have not been reproduced (and it was cinnamon bark not refined cinnamon you get in the store).
Even though I have high blood pressure which is controlled, I’m overweight but I don’t have a history of diabetes what are my chances to develop diabetes?
If no history of diabetes in your family, you should be okay but you need to lose weight to make sure.
What are the bullet point similarities/differences between type I & type II diabetes?
Diagnosis is same for all types: elevated blood sugar; type 1 is autoimmune, you need to take insulin for life; type 2 ismore complicated since not enough insulin is made and it also does not work properly to keep sugar normal.
Type 2 diabetes which is common among us – is it also widely caused by some of the medication we take?
Not really, if your pancreas is healthy you cannot get diabetes; but some medications like steroids can speed it up if pancreas is already on the decline.
I was diagnosed with diabetes 3 years ago. Today I am now pre-diabetic. My doctor says that my chances are good to reverse/eliminate the disease. How true is this? How come folks don’t hear more about this?
The only way to go from diabetes to prediabetes is by lifestyle modifications, substantial weight loss and more physical activity; it can be done very early in the stage of diabetes but the risk always there; there is still no cure.
I have a 13-year-old son that is pre-diabetic. I would like to know if it’s okay for him to start taking a low dose of metformin? Will it help him?
It’s not approved yet for that reason, the only effective way is to lose weight, eat healthy and move more; sorry; metformin, however, does not hurt.
Is there any fruit that you can eat that is good and bad for diabetes?
All fruit is good, in moderation, of course; it all contains sugar so those with diabetes need to watch portion size (17 grapes, for example, is equal to 1 slice of bread or 4 oz of fruit juice, but lot better for you)
Can you clarify the type of cinnamon? Should that be Ceylon cinnamon as opposed to regular cinnamon you buy in the grocery store?
Role of cinnamon has not really been proven but it’s not the refined from the store; it’s from cinnamon bark.
My 85-year-old mother is in a nursing home, has mild dementia, chronic depression and diabetes. She lays in bed most days due to depression. How does non-movement affect her condition?
Non-movement aggravates diabetes, she needs more physical activity; otherwise she might need more medications to control her diabetes.
PHOTO: Dr. Grunberger
