Causes Of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a number of diseases that involve problems with the hormone insulin. While not everyone with type 2 diabetes is overweight, obesity and lack of physical activity are two of the most common causes of this form of diabetes. It is also responsible for about 90% to 95% of diabetes cases in the United States, according to the CDC. This article will give you a better understanding of the causes of type 2 diabetes, what happens in the body when type 2 diabetes occurs, and specific health problems that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Each section links to more in-depth information on that topic. In a healthy person, the pancreas (an organ behind the stomach) releases insulin to help the body store and use the sugar from the food you eat. Diabetes happens when one or more of the following occurs: When the pancreas does not produce any insulin. When the pancreas produces very little insulin. When the body does not respond appropriately to insulin, a condition called "insulin resistance." Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes produce insulin; however, the insulin their pancreas secretes is either not enough or the body is unable to recognize the insulin and use it properly (insulin resistance). When there isn't enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, glucose (sugar) can't get into the body's cells and builds up in the bloodstream instead. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it causes damage in multiple areas of the body. Also, since cells aren't getting the glucose they need, they can't function properly. To understand why insulin is important, it helps to know more about how the body uses food for energy. Your body is made up of millions of cells. To make energy, these cells need food in a Continue reading >>
Pancreas And Diabetes
Tweet The pancreas is an organ located behind the lower part of the stomach, in front of the spine and plays an important part in diabetes. The pancreas is the organ which produces insulin, one the main hormones that helps to regulate blood glucose levels. The role of the pancreas in the body The pancreas plays a part in two different organ systems, the endocrine system and the exocrine system. The endocrine system includes all the organs which produce hormones, chemicals which are delivered via the blood to help regulate our mood, growth, metabolism and reproduction. Two of the hormones produced by the pancreas are insulin and glucagon. The exocrine system is made up of a number of glands which release substances such as sweat (to the skin), saliva (in the mouth) or, in the case of the pancreas, digestive enzymes. The pancreas and insulin The pancreas is responsible for producing insulin. The cells which produce insulin are beta cells. These cells are distributed in a cluster of cells in the pancreas called the Islets of Langerhans, named after the anatomist who discovered them. Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels by assisting the transport of glucose from the blood into neighbouring cells. The pancreas and type 1 diabetes In type 1 diabetes, the beta cells that produce insulin are attacked by the body’s immune system. As more beta cells get killed off, the pancreas struggles to produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels down and the symptoms of diabetes begin to appear. Research has shown that whilst many beta cells are killed off, the body can continue to produce very small amounts of insulin even after decades have passed. News from 2012: Insulin production may last for over 30 years in type 1 diabetes The pancreas and type 2 diab Continue reading >>
Study Identifies Cluster Of Dysregulated Genes In Pancreatic Islets Of Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Type 2 diabetes, which affects >0.5 billion people worldwide, results from the inability of beta cells in the pancreatic islets to provide the body with enough insulin to maintain blood glucose levels within the range for a healthy life. A collaborative study led by Prof. Michele Solimena at the Technische Universität in Dresden as well as the Helmholtz Zentrum München, Dr. Anke M Schulte at Sanofi in Frankfurt, Dr. Mark Ibberson at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (Lausanne) and Prof. Piero Marchetti at University of Pisa as part of the EU-Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) research consortium IMIDIA has identified a novel cluster of dysregulated genes in the pancreatic islets of patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings are now published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD]). The goal of the IMIDIA consortium, which involved 14 European academic institutions, large pharma companies and biotech firms from 02.2010 until 09.2016, was to identify novel paths for the regeneration, maintenance and protection of insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells as a mean to expedite the discovery of more effective strategies to prevent and treat diabetes. A main task of the IMIDIA consortium was to define which genes are abnormally expressed in islet beta cells of diabetic subjects compared to islet beta cells of non-diabetic subjects. The altered expression of these genes could account for beta cell failure in diabetes. For the first time, the investigators based their comparative gene expression analysis not only on islets collected from non-diabetic and diabetic organ donors, for which the availability of clinical information is limited, but also on islets from patients undergoing pancreatic surgery. For the latter s Continue reading >>
Fatty Pancreas And The Development Of Type 2 Diabetes
The English friar and philosopher William of Ockham (1287-1347) is credited with developing the fundamental problem solving principle known as lex parsimoniae or Occam’s Razor. This principle holds that the hypothesis with the fewest assumptions is most often right. The simplest explanation is usually the most correct. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” With that in mind, let’s remember that type 2 diabetes reflects two fundamental problems: Insulin resistance Beta cell dysfunction Insulin resistance, an overflow phenomenon, is caused by fatty infiltration of the liver and muscle. Without dietary intervention, defect #2 virtually always follows #1, albeit by many years. Also, #2 is almost never found without #1. Yet somehow, we are asked to believe that the mechanism behind insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction are completely and utterly unrelated? Occam’s razor suggests that both defects must be caused by the same underlying mechanism. Searching for the mechanism Hyperinsulinemia stimulates de novo lipogenesis transforming excess dietary carbohydrate into new fat. The liver packages and exports this new fat as VLDL making it widely available for other organs. The new fat deposits in skeletal muscles takes up much of this fat, as do the fat cells in and around the abdominal organs leading to the central obesity that is an important component of metabolic syndrome. As fat begins to deposit within the organs, specifically the liver and muscles, insulin resistance develops, gradually leading to rising blood glucose. In response, the body secretes even more insulin to bring the renegade blood glucose back down. The extra insulin ‘overcomes’ the rising insulin resistance, but sets up a Continue reading >>
- Fatty Pancreas and the Development of Type 2 Diabetes
- Insulin, glucagon and somatostatin stores in the pancreas of subjects with type-2 diabetes and their lean and obese non-diabetic controls
- DNA methylation links genetics, fetal environment, and an unhealthy lifestyle to the development of type 2 diabetes
The Connection Between Diabetes And Your Pancreas
A direct connection exists between the pancreas and diabetes. The pancreas is an organ deep in your abdomen behind your stomach. It’s an important part of your digestive system. The pancreas produces enzymes and hormones that help you digest food. One of those hormones, insulin, is necessary to regulate glucose. Glucose refers to sugars in your body. Every cell in your body needs glucose for energy. Think of insulin as a lock to the cell. Insulin must open the cell to allow it to use glucose for energy. If your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t make good use of it, glucose builds up in your bloodstream, leaving your cells starved for energy. When glucose builds up in your bloodstream, this is known as hyperglycemia. The symptoms of hyperglycemia include thirst, nausea, and shortness of breath. Low glucose, known as hypoglycemia, also causes many symptoms, including shakiness, dizziness, and loss of consciousness. Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia can quickly become life-threatening. Each type of diabetes involves the pancreas not functioning properly. The way in which the pancreas doesn’t function properly differs depending on the type. No matter what type of diabetes you have, it requires ongoing monitoring of blood glucose levels so you can take the appropriate action. Type 1 diabetes In type 1 diabetes the immune system erroneously attacks the beta cells that produce insulin in your pancreas. It causes permanent damage, leaving your pancreas unable to produce insulin. Exactly what triggers the immune system to do that isn’t clear. Genetic and environmental factors may play a role. You’re more likely to develop type 1 diabetes if you have a family history of the disease. About 5 percent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. People who ha Continue reading >>
Pancreatic Cancer Symptoms: Diabetes Could Be A Warning Sign For Deadly Disease
Pancreatic cancer is hard to diagnose in its early stages as the tumour doesn't usually cause any symptoms. The disease affects around 8,800 people every year in the UK. Diabetic have an increased risk of pancreatic cancer - however now experts have suggested cancer can cause some cases of diabetes. Experts have revealed the onset of diabetes, or existing diabetes getting much worse could be a sign of hidden pancreatic cancer. Medical records and the type of diabetic medicines they are prescribed could be a tool in identifying those at risk, scientists from the International Prevention Research Institute in Lyon said. An analysis of nearly a million patients with type 2 diabetes in Italy and Belgium with pancreatic cancer found half were diagnosed within one year of being found to have type 2 diabetes and being given their first prescription to control it. Experts said they had a 3.5 times greater risk of being diagnosed with the disease in the first three months after their first prescription for incretins, hormones which stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin to lower blood sugar levels. Injecting insulin was associated with a seven-fold increased risk of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Professor Philippe Autier said: "Although it has been known for some time that there is an association between type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer, the relationship between the two conditions is complex. "Incretin therapies reduce diabetic hyperglycemia through stimulating the release of insulin by the pancreas. "These drugs are typically prescribed when the oral anti-diabetic drugs can no longer control blood glucose levels. "Because of their stimulating effects on the pancreas, it has long been thought that the incretin therapies could promote the occurrence of panc Continue reading >>
Pancreas Transplantation For Type 2 Diabetes
Increasingly, patients with forms of diabetes other than Type I diabetes (T1D) are being offered pancreas transplantation and the results are excellent and nearly equivalent to the results in patients with T1D. Traditional indications for pancreas transplantation are T1D patients who have chronic kidney disease (CKD) or those without kidney failure but who have hypoglycemia unawareness. But more and more, patients with either Type 2 diabetes (T2D), the most common form of diabetes, or pancreticogenic diabetes, such as those who have lost pancreatic endocrine and exocrine function due to trauma, surgery, chronic pancreatitis or a combination, are receiving pancreas transplantation in the US and around the world. While pancreas transplantation for T2D is still being practiced at selected centers, over the last decade, the number of T2D patients receiving pancreas transplants has risen steadily in the US and now accounts for approximately 9-10% of all pancreas transplants.1 In the past, pancreas transplantation was not commonly offered to patients with T2D because it was thought that the metabolic state involving insulin resistance and high insulin requirements could not be overcome by the insulin output from the graft resulting in a lower success rate as defined by the achievement of insulin independence. However, it became evident first through anecdotal experiences and later through reports from single centers that insulin independence could be achieved in many insulin-dependent T2D patients despite high insulin requirements and measurable insulin resistance.2,3 Improved Outcomes A number of factors leading to improved success rates as well as less toxic immunosuppression developed over the years now allows more favorable risk-benefit ratios for not only T1D and T2D pat Continue reading >>
On World Diabetes Day 2017, What Is Diabetes, What’s The Difference Between Types 1 And 2 And What Are The Signs?
DIABETES is a life-long health condition which affects around 3.5 million people in the UK alone. Today is World Diabetes Day, and experts estimate there are up to 549,000 people living with diabetes who don't know it yet. But what is it exactly and what are the difference between the two types? Getty Images What is diabetes? It is a condition caused by high levels of glucose - or sugar - in the blood. Glucose levels are so high because the body is unable to properly use it. In people diagnosed with diabetes, their pancreas doesn't produce any insulin, or not enough insulin. Getty Images Insulin is a hormone typically produced by the pancreas and allows glucose to enter the cells in the body, where it's used for energy. What are the signs to look out for with diabetes? The common signs you may have diabetes include: going to the toilet a lot, especially at night being really thirsty feeling more tired than usual losing weight, without trying to genital itching or thrush cuts and wounds that take longer to heal blurred vision The symptoms are caused by high levels of glucose remaining in the blood, where it cannot be used as energy. These signs are common in children and adults alike. But, adults suffering type 1 diabetes can find it harder to recognise their symptoms. Diabetes UK's four T's campaign aims to raise awareness of the key signs. What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes? All types of diabetes cause blood glucose levels to be higher than normal, but the two different types do this in different ways. The distinction lies in what is causing the lack of insulin - often described as the key, that allows glucose to unlock the door to the cells. With type 1 diabetes, a person’s pancreas produces no insulin, but in type 2 cells in the body become r Continue reading >>
The Risky Bet Behind The First ‘artificial Pancreas’ For Diabetes Patients
Twelve years ago, a dotcom millionaire stood at a patient advocacy group’s board meeting and made an offer. I’ll give you $1 million, he said. But only if you commit to getting an artificial pancreas on the market. That challenge set JDRF, formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, on a costly, and risky, campaign to enlist academic researchers, global companies, members of Congress, and even federal regulators to embrace the concept of a device that could take over much of the process of regulating blood sugar in patients with diabetes. The campaign worked: The Food and Drug Administration last week approved the first artificial pancreas, from Medtronic, for patients over age 14 with type 1 diabetes. JDRF’s long crusade mirrors a trend in the patient advocacy world: Such groups are increasingly moving beyond traditional activism to fund research at drug and device companies. Those close ties with industry have sparked some criticism — mostly out of concern that advocacy groups won’t be able to freely fight for patients if their finances are tied to the fate of a corporate partner. But the expanding model may also help patients, if the advocacy groups succeed in pushing industry to get new treatments to market quicker. In the case of the artificial pancreas, JDRF was taking a very big chance. Academics had been trying for years to develop algorithms to power a fully automated system for regulating blood glucose, a task that again and again proved unfeasible. Device makers were squeamish about letting a computer control an insulin delivery system that could kill a patient if it malfunctioned at the wrong time. And even if somebody could build an artificial pancreas, no one knew what kind of tests and data the FDA would require to be convinced Continue reading >>
Symptoms & Causes Of Diabetes
What are the symptoms of diabetes? Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst and urination increased hunger fatigue blurred vision numbness or tingling in the feet or hands sores that do not heal unexplained weight loss Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can start quickly, in a matter of weeks. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly—over the course of several years—and can be so mild that you might not even notice them. Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. Some people do not find out they have the disease until they have diabetes-related health problems, such as blurred vision or heart trouble. What causes type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system, the body’s system for fighting infection, attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Scientists think type 1 diabetes is caused by genes and environmental factors, such as viruses, that might trigger the disease. Studies such as TrialNet are working to pinpoint causes of type 1 diabetes and possible ways to prevent or slow the disease. What causes type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes—the most common form of diabetes—is caused by several factors, including lifestyle factors and genes. Overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are not physically active and are overweight or obese. Extra weight sometimes causes insulin resistance and is common in people with type 2 diabetes. The location of body fat also makes a difference. Extra belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart and blood vessel disease. To see if your weight puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes, check out these Body Mass Index (BMI) charts. Insulin resistance Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resista Continue reading >>
After Diabetes Diagnosis
Diabetes is a disease where blood sugar levels are too high because the body can no longer make or use insulin properly. The condition could lead to serious complications and even death. An estimated 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes in the U.S. There are several types of diabetes, including Type 1, Type 2 and gestational — a type that occurs in pregnant women. Type 2 is the most common, and about 95 percent of all people with diabetes in the U.S. have this type. An additional 86 million adults in the United States have prediabetes, a condition where your blood sugar is high but not elevated enough for a diabetes diagnosis. Cases of diabetes increase each year, and every 19 seconds doctors diagnose someone in the U.S. with the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 3 adults may be diagnosed with diabetes by 2050. It’s important to keep blood sugar levels controlled because it can cause serious health problems — including kidney disease, heart problems, skin problems and limb amputations. Even if Type 2 diabetes has no cure, it can be prevented and managed. People with the disease can control blood sugar with lifestyle changes and medication. What is Type 2 Diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your body loses its ability to produce and use insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas that the body uses to convert glucose into energy. Without the right amount of insulin, excess sugar builds up in the body and causes a number of health problems. Where Type 1 typically occurs in younger people and is an immune disorder, Type 2 most often occurs later in life. In fact, the medical community used to call Type 2 diabetes “adult-onset” diabetes. M Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms, Signs, Diet, And Treatment
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which cells cannot use blood sugar (glucose) efficiently for energy. This happens when the cells become insensitive to insulin and the blood sugar gradually gets too high. There are two types of diabetes mellitus, type 1 and type 2. In type 2, the pancreas still makes insulin, but the cells cannot use it very efficiently. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas cannot make insulin due to auto-immune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells. Type 2 can be caused by: Lack of activity (sedentary behavior) Genetics Risk factors include: Being overweight Being sedentary including watching more than 2 hours of TV per day Drinking soda Consuming too much sugar and processed food The signs and symptoms of this type of this type of diabetes are sometimes subtle. The major symptom is often being overweight. Other symptoms and signs include: Urinating a lot Gaining or losing weight unintentionally Dark skin under armpits, chin, or groin Unusual odor to urine Blurry vision Often there are no specific symptoms of the condition and it goes undiagnosed until routine blood tests are ordered. A blood sugar level more than 125 when fasting or more than 200 randomly is a diagnosis for diabetes. Treatment is with diet and lifestyle changes that include eating less sugary foods, and foods that are high in simple carbohydrates (sugar, bread, and pasta.) Sometimes a person will need to take drugs, for example, metformin (Glucophage). People with both types of diabetes need monitor their blood sugar levels often to avoid high (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Complications include heart and kidney disease, neuropathy, sexual and/or urinary problems, foot problems, and eye problems. This health condition can be prevented by following a Continue reading >>
Types Of Diabetes
Today, there are 11 million Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes. Every three minutes, another Canadian is diagnosed. Chances are that diabetes affects you or someone you know. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic, often debilitating and sometimes fatal disease, in which the body either cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Diabetes leads to high blood sugar levels, which can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves. The body needs insulin to use sugar as an energy source. What is the pancreas and what does it do? The pancreas is an organ that sits behind the stomach and releases hormones into the digestive system. In the healthy body, when blood sugar levels get too high, special cells in the pancreas (called beta cells) release insulin. Insulin is a hormone and it causes cells to take in sugar to use as energy or to store as fat. This causes blood sugar levels to go back down. What is type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and kills the beta cells of the pancreas. No, or very little, insulin is released into the body. As a result, sugar builds up in the blood instead of being used as energy. About five to 10 per cent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can develop in adulthood. Type 1 diabetes is always treated with insulin. Meal planning also helps with keeping blood sugar at the right levels. Type 1 diabetes also includes latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), the term used to describe the small number of people with apparent type 2 diabetes who appear to have immune-mediated loss of pancreatic beta cells. What is type 2 Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the most common form of diabetes, is considered a metabolic disorder that results in high-blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) caused by an insulin resistance and deficiency. A normally functioning pancreas will secrete the insulin hormone in low amounts after eating a meal. The glucose (sugar) found in the foods we eat stimulate the secretion of the insulin hormone proportional to the size of each meal. The main role of insulin is to help move specific nutrients into the body’s cells, mainly sugar, which they use as a source of energy. When glucose levels in the bloodstream rise, the beta cells located in the pancreas increase the secretion of insulin to avoid hyperglycemia. In type 2 diabetes, this process works improperly. Instead of moving into your cells to be used as a source of energy, glucose builds up in your bloodstream. Unlike people diagnosed with type 1, the bodies of people with type 2 diabetes produce the hormone insulin. The two main problems caused by type 2 diabetes is the pancreas not producing enough insulin and the body not using the insulin sufficiently. A diagnosis of T2DM occurs when the body does not use the hormone insulin properly. The process of improper secretion and absorption is referred to as insulin resistance. In the early stages, the pancreas makes extra insulin to regulate the high blood glucose (sugar) levels, but over time it is not able to make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels. When there isn’t enough insulin or the insulin is not used properly, glucose can’t get into the body’s cells as it should, causing body’s cells to not function normally. Although it is diagnosed far more than type 1 diabetes, the causes of type 2 diabetes are considered to be less understoo Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
- Metabolic surgery for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus: Now supported by the world's leading diabetes organizations
Type 2 Diabetes
More than 30 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and 90% to 95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it. Causes Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that acts like a key to let blood sugar into the cells in your body for use as energy. If you have type 2 diabetes, cells don’t respond normally to insulin; this is called insulin resistance. Your pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually your pancreas can’t keep up, and your blood sugar rises, setting the stage for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and can cause other serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Symptoms & Risk Factors Type 2 diabetes symptoms often develop over several years and can go on for a long time without being noticed (sometimes there aren’t any noticeable symptoms at all). Because symptoms can be hard to spot, it’s important to know the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and to see your doctor to get your blood sugar tested if you have any of them. Getting Tested A simple blood test will let you know if you have diabetes. If you’ve gotten your blood sugar tested at a health fair or pharmacy, follow up at a clinic or doctor’s office to make sure the results are accurate. Management Unlike many health conditions, diabetes is managed mostly by you, with support from your health care team (including your primary care doctor, foot doctor, dentist, eye doctor, registered dietitian nutritionist, diabetes educator, and pharmacist), family, and other important people in your life. Managing diabetes can be challenging, but everything you do to improve y Continue reading >>
