New diabetes treatment flushes sugar, calories out of body!

KVUE ^ | April 3, 2013 | Karen Grace

A new diabetes drug that hit the market in the past week boasts it can drop your glucose levels and flush out "guilty" calories every time you use the bathroom.
Experts say that every time the patient urinates, out goes all the unwanted sugar and calories.
Doctors say this drug could even help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
KVUE's sister station KENS went behind closed doors at the Veterans Affairs hospital to witness clinical trials for other drugs similar to Invokana.
Last Friday, the FDA approved Invokana, a drug experts are hailing as a game changer for Type 2 diabetes treatment.
The drug works in the kidneys and blocks an enzyme that would put sugar back in the bloodstream.
Dr. Devjit Tripathy with UT Medicine San Antonio, the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center, says the drug helps curb obesity.
"This drug not only has the potential to treat Type 2 diabetes but also obesity," Tripathy said. "With the loss of a lot of glucose, you lose a lot of calories and by that you lose weight."
He said the same weight loss results can occur in non-diabetic subjects, but he emphasized that so far the drug is only approved for Type 2 diabetes patients and not specifically as a weight-loss drug.
"In San Antonio, we have a very big problem with obesity," Tripathy said. "This drug will definitely help us."
He also said this drug has the potential to help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Keep in mind taking this drug doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want. The doctor said the drug is limited on how much sugar is excreted, so it's important to continue watching your diet.
Experts say they are still assessing the long-term effects of the medication.