Why hasn’t modern medicine come out with continuous monitors/pumps for other hormone deficiencies (thyroid, cortisol, growth hormone, etc) like they have diabetics who use insulin monitors/pumps?

Question

Have a family member who has type 1 diabetes, and the continuous glucose monitor/insulin pump technology of the past decade have been literally life-changing. His markers are now down to a normal healthy person’s, let alone a normal diabetic’s. It’s crazy.

Also have a dear friend who had their pituitary removed this week, and was wondering why we don’t have similar technology for other hormones the body needs. If we don’t, how far off are we?

In: 5

Answer 1

The short answer is that insulin is unique of the hormones you listed in terms of the large, rapid swings in concentration. This necessitates a pump to facilitate, which is a replacement for the older method of self administering injections. Most other hormone disorders can be treated with oral medications, as they don’t require the rapid increases in concentration that insulin does.