You may have heard or seen ads that say you can reverse Type 2 diabetes. Is there any truth to them?

The bottom line: With the right lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthier and exercising regularly, you can get diabetes under control or you can prevent prediabetes from turning into full-blown Type 2 diabetes. Some people with Type 2 diabetes may not even need to take diabetes medications anymore.

However, the result regarding diabetes control varies for everyone — and you have to maintain the weight loss and life changes over the long term for the results to stick around.

[See: The 12 Best Diets to Prevent or Manage Diabetes.]

“If you get prediabetes or you’re on the cusp of a diabetes diagnosis, there are ways to eliminate diabetes. But there’s no easy cure or magic pill,” says certified diabetes educator Anna Simos, a diabetes education and prevention program manager at Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California.

“I have many ways to help patients manage diabetes, but it’s very hard to reverse,” says Dr. Rita Louard, director of the Clinical Diabetes Program at Montefiore Health System in Bronx, New York. Still, some diabetes experts will use the word “reverse” when talking about this topic, Louard says, acknowledging the controversy that exists when discussing diabetes reversal.

Simos has seen the most success when patients make a commitment to changing their behaviors and when they find support from both their community (such as through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Prevention Program) and their medical team.

The U.S. government’s study of the Diabetes Prevention Program found that in 3,000 people who had prediabetes, those who lost 5 percent to 7 percent of their body weight reduced their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. The numbers were even more impressive in those over age 60. All study participants were overweight and had high blood sugar.

The participants reversed their prediabetes with increased physical activity, healthier eating and behavior changes. Their results were better than another group in the study that used the common diabetes drug metformin.

Even 10 years later, those who participated in the program were one-third less likely to develop diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Usually, an estimated 15 to 30 percent of people with prediabetes develop Type 2 diabetes over five years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That risk increases even more over time.

[See: 10 Myths About Diabetes.]

When a patient is ready to make a big commitment to get their blood sugar under control, Simos works with them to help tease apart what may be causing their blood sugar to spiral. Sometimes it’s what they’re eating, sometimes it’s stress at home and at work and sometimes it’s a day full of sitting versus moving. Often, it’s a mix of these things. Other factors may contribute to diabetes risk, including a family history of the disease.

In addition to weight loss through traditional methods, some patients with diabetes can have bariatric surgery and then find that their diabetes goes away. Yet not everyone qualifies with this. The person usually needs to have a body mass index of 40 or higher and uncontrolled diabetes, Louard says. “If you regain the weight, the diabetes comes back,” Louard cautions.

Although there’s no guarantee that you’ll “reverse” diabetes with weight loss and changes, there’s no downside to making healthier choices. Here are some suggestions from diabetes experts to proceed safely.

Know your diabetes numbers and risk factors. This means knowing your blood sugar numbers, your hemoglobin A1C and risk factors that may increase your chance of having diabetes. “These give you a baseline,” says Heather Del Villar, chief nurse practitioner at CareMore in Cerritos, California. “Patients need to be proactive about their health.”

Talk to your primary care doctor or other health care provider first. He or she can share advice and support to help you meet your goals. Del Villar likens it to seeing a financial counselor when you want to gain better control of your money or budget; it’s the same when you want to make major health changes to help your diabetes.

Sometimes, there are medications available to help you lose weight as well. Even if you are prescribed such medications, you should plan to make changes in your diet or your physical activity level.

[See: 6 Tips to Keep Diabetics Out of the Hospital.]

You’ll also want to stay in touch with your health provider because as you lose weight and improve your health, your need for certain diabetes medications may decrease. He or she can check on that regularly based on your blood sugar numbers.

See a registered dietitian. In addition to your primary health care provider, a registered dietitian can collaborate with you to provide the nitty gritty on healthy food choices that fit into your daily routine. Insurance often covers visits to see a registered dietitian, Simos says.

Aim for realistic weight-loss and blood sugar goals. Fad diets that promise you’ll shed pounds instantly won’t usually stick in the long term. Instead, weight loss of a half-pound to a pound a week is reasonable. You’ll also want to work with your health care provider to set a realistic reduction for your A1C, Del Villar advises.

Think long term. Your beneficial health changes — and any ensuing weight loss — likely won’t happen overnight. “Sometimes it took 20 years to get to that stage where you are now,” Del Villar says. “Give it six or nine months to a year,” she says. It could even take longer than that.

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Can You Reverse Type 2 Diabetes? originally appeared on usnews.com