At present, it cannot be stated that “taking 5-ALA will cure Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.” 5-ALA is being studied as a compound involved in glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function, and its potential to support diabetes treatment is under investigation. In fact, clinical studies using a combination of 5-ALA and SFC, an iron component, have reported trends toward improved safety and blood-glucose-related markers in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

At the same time, our research focuses on what we call “diabetes stem cells,” abnormal cells that may remain in the bone marrow and contribute to the difficulty of curing diabetes. In mouse studies, temporary treatment combining insulin with an HDAC inhibitor has been reported to maintain normal blood glucose even after the treatment period ended.

5-ALA is attracting attention as one of the possible candidates related to this fundamental treatment research. However, its use as a treatment aimed at curing diabetes still needs to be further verified through clinical trials.

It should also be noted that 5-ALA supplements currently sold in Japan are treated as health foods, not as medicines. The 5-ALA hydrochloride formulation approved in the United States is not a diabetes medication; it is a drug used for photodynamic diagnosis to help visualize tumor tissue during surgery for malignant glioma.