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Although type 2 diabetes cannot be cured, there are effective treatments that have been proven in clinical studies to help control blood glucose levels. These treatments slow the progression of the disease and prevent serious complications.
In some cases, early-stage diabetes can be reversed — put into remission — with treatment. Guidelines for type 2 diabetes treatments and medications are based on how high your blood glucose is, how well it is controlled, your age and overall health, any other health conditions, and medications you take.
Studies have found that many people with type 2 diabetes do not take their medications regularly or as directed, and at least 45 percent of those with type 2 diabetes do not get their blood glucose under control.
Stopping or underusing a medication allows blood sugar to rise, causing progressive damage that leads to worsening symptoms and complications of diabetes, such as blindness, kidney damage, and foot amputation. Untreated hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can also lead to an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels).
Continue taking all medications as prescribed even if you feel better. If side effects bother you, talk to your doctor about switching medications or timing them differently. Set reminders and ask for help from family if you have trouble remembering to take your type 2 diabetes treatments.
Lifestyle changes, including losing weight, eating healthier, and getting more exercise, are considered first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes. These changes can have a significant impact on how fast insulin resistance progresses.
Medications can help control blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, and at some point, you will likely need to begin using insulin to control your blood glucose levels.
Many people with type 2 diabetes are prescribed multiple medications that work together to better control blood glucose levels. For more details about specific diabetes treatments, visit the Treatments A-Z page.
Testing and tracking your blood glucose is a vital part of managing your type 2 diabetes. Regularly monitoring your blood sugar at home helps you better control your glucose levels and gives your doctor a clear picture of how well your medication is working.
If you are taking your medications as directed, and your blood glucose is not under control, your doctor will be able to change the timing or dosage of medicine to be more effective. You may also be a candidate for newer forms of measuring your glucose, including continuous glucose monitoring.
Improving diet and increasing exercise are fundamental to the successful treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Some people with type 2 diabetes can get their blood glucose under control with significant weight loss, changing eating habits, and increasing physical activity, without adding medications.
Weight loss can lower levels of inflammation in the body that are believed to contribute to insulin resistance.
Exercise makes the body more sensitive to insulin, lowers blood glucose levels, and also contributes to weight loss.
Eating a lower-calorie diet can help with weight loss. Changing the amount and type of carbohydrates you eat can help you maintain healthy blood glucose levels, and eating fewer saturated fats can help control cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Learn more about healthy snack ideas for diabetes.
The DiRECT trial, reported in The Lancet, found that consuming a low-calorie diet led to the remission of type 2 diabetes. This means that blood sugar levels returned to normal without needing diabetes medication. Although this diet is not realistic for everyone, healthy eating and being mindful of your body weight can certainly help manage diabetes.
There are more than 10 classes of medications approved for treating type 2 diabetes. Most are taken by mouth, and others are injected.
Some diabetes medications need to be taken at a certain time of day, such as before meals or with the first bite of a meal, to be effective. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about when to take your diabetes medications if you are not sure.
Some diabetes medications can cause upset stomach and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) as common side effects. Other side effects are specific to each drug or drug class. The most common classes of drugs prescribed for type 2 diabetes are highlighted below.
Metformin is the only drug available in the class called biguanides, which are believed to work by decreasing the amount of glucose produced by the liver and making the muscle tissue more sensitive to insulin.
Metformin is considered a first-line treatment for high blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes, along with diet and exercise. It is also the only drug recommended by the American Diabetes Association for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in adults with prediabetes.
Metformin is sold under brand names including Fortamet, Glumetza, Glucophage, and Riomet.
If your blood glucose is not controlled with lifestyle changes and metformin, guidelines recommend adding another medication or insulin. If this combination does not work to control blood glucose, the doctor will likely prescribe additional medications.
Sulfonylureas work by increasing the amount of insulin released by the pancreas. Sulfonylureas include glyburide (DiaBeta and Micronase) and glimepiride (Amaryl).
Thiazolidinediones, also known as TZDs and glitazones, are believed to work by decreasing the amount of glucose released by the liver and making insulin more effective in muscle and fat tissues. Glitazones include pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avandia).
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, also called incretin mimetics, are another class of medications.
GLP-1 is a hormone that signals the pancreas to make more insulin and prevents the liver from releasing glucose. GLP-1 receptor agonists are believed to work by improving the ability of the pancreas to secrete insulin in response to meals, thus normalizing blood glucose levels. These drugs also cause weight loss.
Liraglutide (Victoza), dulaglutide (Trulicity), exenatide (Byetta and Bydureon), and semaglutide (Ozempic and Rybelsus) are GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors — such as linagliptin (Tradjenta), sitagliptin (Januvia), and saxagliptin (Onglyza) — work by blocking the protein DPP-4 from breaking down GLP-1 that the body makes. This process allows naturally occurring GLP-1 to stay active in the body for a longer amount of time.
Drugs in the sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor class work by causing extra glucose to be eliminated in the urine. Dapagliflozin (Farxiga), canagliflozin (Invokana), and empagliflozin (Jardiance) are SLGT2 inhibitors.
In May 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new medication for type 2 diabetes called tirzepatide (sold as Mounjaro). Tirzepatide is the first approved medication in this new class of GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists. Tirzepatide works by activating both GLP-1 receptors (similar to exenatide) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. GIP is a hormone similar to GLP-1 — they both control blood sugar.
Some people with a complex treatment regimen for type 2 diabetes may prefer to take a combination drug that has medications from more than one class. Taking one medication instead of several may be more convenient and easier to remember.
Examples of combination drugs include pioglitazone/metformin (Actoplus Met), glyburide/metformin (Glucovance), sitagliptin/metformin (Janumet), and empagliflozin/metformin (Synjardy).
If medication, improvements in diet, and exercise fail to keep blood glucose levels in check, your doctor will likely suggest that you begin insulin therapy.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease — the longer you have it, the more likely you are to need insulin, even if you make lifestyle changes and stick to your treatment plan. Insulin is just another way to control blood glucose.
When your doctor prescribes insulin, they will help you calculate the dosage and explain how to schedule your insulin doses. After you have used insulin for a while, your doctor will help you adjust the dosage for maximum effectiveness.
There are several types of insulin:
Insulin is sold under many brand names. Examples include:
Injectable insulin must be injected subcutaneously (into the fat under the skin) — it is not effective if it is swallowed. Insulin injection areas include fleshy parts of the abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and the backs of the arms. Insulin is absorbed most quickly when injected into the abdomen.
Afrezza, the only inhaled insulin product on the market, was made available in the U.S. in 2015.
There are several delivery methods for injectable insulin.
There are many types of syringes. Your doctor can help you to choose the brand that is right for you. The barrel (the part that holds the liquid) must be large enough to hold a dose. The markings on the barrel must be legible for you. The needle gauge is another factor. The higher the number the needle gauge is, the smaller the needle will be. Some people find that smaller needles cause less pain.
Insulin pens are small, lightweight devices that resemble large ink pens. Most insulin pens have removable needles that should be replaced for each use. Insulin pens may be disposable or durable (refillable). Disposable pens come prefilled with insulin, and durable pens must be filled with insulin cartridges. Insulin pens may be easier to use while traveling because they can be kept at room temperature for several days.
An insulin pump consists of a small computerized device (the pump) approximately the size of a cell phone, a flexible plastic tube, and a small needle. The needle is inserted into the skin of the abdomen and taped down. The tube connects the needle with the pump, which is worn on the belt or in a pocket. The pump is programmed to release insulin in two ways. Basal insulin is released continuously, and bolus insulin is released at mealtimes. This pattern imitates the body’s natural release of insulin.
Besides lifestyle changes and medications, some people with type 2 diabetes may need other treatments such as dialysis or surgery. Vaccinations are another important part of managing diabetes.
High blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes damage the kidneys, sometimes to the point when they can no longer function well enough to keep you healthy. People with severe kidney damage require kidney replacement therapy such as dialysis. Types of dialysis include hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Hemodialysis is a process of filtering waste products from the blood using a machine as an artificial kidney, known as a dialyzer. Hemodialysis can be done at a dialysis center, in a hospital, or at home. If you receive hemodialysis at a dialysis center, you will likely need to go three times each week. Hemodialysis will take three to five hours each time you go. If you do hemodialysis at home, you may choose more frequent treatments (four to seven times each week) for shorter periods.
In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum (the tissue lining your abdomen) filters waste products from the blood. One advantage of peritoneal dialysis is that your body does not build up as much fluid and waste as it does with hemodialysis. There is less stress on your heart and arteries. It is also easier to maintain a normal work schedule with peritoneal dialysis because you do not need to spend hours at a dialysis center each week.
Some people with obesity and type 2 diabetes undergo bariatric surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y), adjustable gastric band (also known as the lap-band or LABG), or sleeve gastrectomy, to lose weight. To be eligible for bariatric surgery, it is usually necessary to have a body mass index (BMI) over 35 or a lower BMI with medical complications such as poorly controlled diabetes.
In one study, researchers reviewed data involving more than 20,000 people with type 2 diabetes who had undergone gastric bypass surgery and found that approximately 77 percent of people completely reversed their diabetes after surgery, meaning they were able to maintain normal blood glucose levels without medication.
Amputation is sometimes a result of diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), poor circulation, infections in people with type 2 diabetes, and poorly controlled blood glucose. Approximately 67 percent of amputations in the U.S. can be attributed to diabetes or a complication of diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes undergo amputations at a rate that is 28 times higher than people without diabetes. Most amputations involve lower extremities — for example, toe, foot, below the knee, and above the knee.
In people with end-stage kidney failure for whom dialysis is not a good option, a kidney transplant may be considered. A kidney transplant is a surgery to replace one diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor. After receiving a kidney transplant, you will need to take immunosuppressive medication for the rest of your life to prevent your body from rejecting the new organ.
People with type 2 diabetes should receive appropriate vaccinations based on age and health conditions. Examples include the Tdap vaccine (to prevent tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), hepatitis B vaccine, and zoster vaccine (to prevent shingles).
Adults over the age of 65 are recommended to receive pneumococcal vaccines to prevent pneumonia (lung infection), meningitis (inflammation of the lung and spinal cord), and other infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria. People with type 2 diabetes should also receive the annual flu vaccine and stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Some people with type 2 diabetes incorporate natural or holistic treatments and report relief from certain symptoms when they use complementary or alternative treatments such as acupuncture or herbal or nutritional supplements.
Acupuncture may be useful in people with diabetes experiencing pain caused by nerve damage. This traditional medicine, which has been around for thousands of years, involves inserting small needles into different parts of the body. The needles cause the brain to release chemicals that can lessen a person’s sensitivity to pain. More research is needed to determine the benefits of acupuncture, but it shows promise in treating nerve pain caused by diabetes.
Herbal or nutritional supplements such as alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, cinnamon, and ginseng are a few that have shown potential in people with type 2 diabetes.
Notify your doctor of any nutritional supplements and herbal treatments you use because some can interact with medications and cause dangerous side effects or make them less effective. Complementary therapies should not replace prescribed medications, which have been proven effective in clinical studies.
On DiabetesTeam, the social network for people with type 2 diabetes and their loved ones, more than 123,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with diabetes. Here, finding ways to manage your lifestyle while living with diabetes is a commonly discussed topic.
What treatments for diabetes have worked for you? Do you have questions for others regarding treatment? Share your experience and advice in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.
Robert Hurd, M.D. is a professor of endocrinology and health care ethics at Xavier University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Learn more about him here.
Kelly Crumrin is a senior editor at MyHealthTeam and leads the creation of content that educates and empowers people with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her here.
Jane Chung, PharmD, RPh earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Studies and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Learn more about her here.
