Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview
Diabetes mellitus is a disease that prevents your body from properly using the energy from the food you eat. Diabetes occurs in one of the following situations: The pancreas (an organ behind your stomach) produces little insulin or no insulin at all. (Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone, produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, which helps the body use sugar for energy.) -Or- The pancreas makes insulin, but the insulin made does not work as it should. This condition is called insulin resistance. To better understand diabetes, it helps to know more about how the body uses food for energy (a process called metabolism). Your body is made up of millions of cells. To make energy, the cells need food in a very simple form. When you eat or drink, much of your food is broken down into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose provides the energy your body needs for daily activities. The blood vessels and blood are the highways that transport sugar from where it is either taken in (the stomach) or manufactured (in the liver) to the cells where it is used (muscles) or where it is stored (fat). Sugar cannot go into the cells by itself. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood, which serves as the helper, or the "key," that lets sugar into the cells for use as energy. When sugar leaves the bloodstream and enters the cells, the blood sugar level is lowered. Without insulin, or the "key," sugar cannot get into the body's cells for use as energy. This causes sugar to rise. Too much sugar in the blood is called "hyperglycemia" (high blood sugar) or diabetes. What are the types of diabetes? There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2: Type 1 diabetes occurs because the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (beta cells) are damaged. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes - Causes
Causes of type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that's needed to control the amount of sugar (glucose) in your blood. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down food and passes its nutrients – including glucose – into your bloodstream. The pancreas (a small gland behind your stomach) usually produces insulin, which transfers any glucose out of your blood and into your cells, where it's converted to energy. However, if you have type 1 diabetes, your pancreas is unable to produce any insulin (see below). This means that glucose can't be moved out of your bloodstream and into your cells. Autoimmune condition Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system (the body's natural defence against infection and illness) mistakes the cells in your pancreas as harmful and attacks them, destroying them completely or damaging them enough to stop them producing insulin. It's not known exactly what triggers the immune system to do this, but some researchers have suggested that it may be due to a viral infection. Type 1 diabetes is often inherited (runs in families), so the autoimmune reaction may also be genetic. If you have a close relative – such as a parent, brother or sister – with type 1 diabetes, you have about a 6% chance of also developing the condition. The risk for people who don't have a close relative with type 1 diabetes is just under 0.5%. Continue reading >>
Causes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal blood glucose level, or the body is unable to use the insulin that is produced (insulin resistance). The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach that produces the hormone insulin. Insulin moves glucose from your blood into your cells, where it's converted into energy. In type 2 diabetes, there are several reasons why the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes Three of the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are: age – being over the age of 40 (over 25 for people of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean or black African origin, even if you were born in the UK) genetics – having a close relative with the condition, such as a parent, brother or sister weight – being overweight or obese People of south Asian and African-Caribbean origin also have an increased risk of developing complications of diabetes, such as heart disease, at a younger age than the rest of the population. Read about reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes. Age Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age. This may be because people tend to gain weight and exercise less as they get older. Maintaining a healthy weight by eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly are ways of preventing and managing diabetes. White people over the age of 40 have an increased risk of developing the condition. People of south Asian, Chinese, African-Caribbean and black African origin have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes at a much earlier age. However, despite increasing age being a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, over recent years younger people from all ethnic groups have been developing the condition. It's also becoming more comm Continue reading >>
Diabetes: What Is It And What Causes It?
On 14 November, it is World Diabetes Day. It is the world's largest campaign in the world to raise awareness for the condition. The global symbol for it is a blue circle. It started in 1991 because of worries about the problems that diabetes can cause for people's health across the world. Read on to find out more about the condition. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two kinds of diabetes - Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. What are the differences? Both types of diabetes are to do with a chemical in the body called insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced by an organ called the pancreas (this is just behind your stomach). It is needed in the body to control how much sugar is in your blood. Type 1 diabetes is when the body attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is when the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body's cells don't react to insulin. So both kinds of diabetes affect the sugar levels in your blood, but they do it in different ways. The vast majority of children with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes, but an increasing number are now developing Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1 among adults. Around 9 in every 10 adults who have diabetes have type 2. One of the reasons that type 2 is so common is because of increased numbers of people who are overweight or obese. This is because, over time, obesity can start to cause other health problems, like Type 2 diabetes. Read on to find out more about the two different types of this condition. Type 1 - Key facts Type 1 is a lifelong condition It is not something you develop over time because of eating habits or diet If left untreated, it can cause very serious health problems Continue reading >>
Top 5 Causes Of Non-healing Diabetic Foot Ulcers (and How To Prevent Them)
If you have diabetes, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Over time, this can cause complications with other bodily functions, especially within the feet. In fact, diabetic foot ulcers, open wounds that occur in approximately 15 percent of diabetics, are the leading cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations in the United States. Read on to learn the top five causes of non-healing diabetic foot ulcers, as well as important information on how to prevent complications before they occur. 1. High Blood Sugar Levels Diabetes is a metabolic disease that causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Elevated blood glucose levels stiffen the body’s arteries and narrow its blood vessels, restricting the delivery of the blood and oxygen needed to support the body’s natural healing abilities. 2. Poor Circulation Individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a condition that restricts blood flow to the feet and legs. PAD is especially problematic for those with chronic wounds, particularly diabetic foot ulcers, because it can seriously inhibit the body’s ability to heal. If left untreated, PAD can lead to amputation of the affected limb. 3. Nerve Damage Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to nerve damage in people with diabetes. Diabetic neuropathies are a family of nerve disease that causes a loss of sensation, including the ability to feel pain. For those with nerve damage, a small cut, blister or surgical wound on the foot can go unnoticed and untreated, leading to infection and interference with diabetic foot ulcer recovery. 4. Immune System Issues One of the roles the body’s immune system is to clear away dead, damaged tissue and build new skin cells once a wound or injury has occurred. Diabetes can Continue reading >>
What Causes Diabetes-related Foot Problems?
What Causes Diabetes-related Foot Problems? Diabetic Neuropathy, Infections, and Poor Shoe Choices Foot care is an important, but often overlooked, part of the overall healthcare regimen for people living with diabetes. This is because diabetic foot problemswhich can include everything from ulcers and infections, to foot deformities and circulation problemscan be caused by a number of internal and external factors that can be prevented or delayed if diabetes control is a priority. While the following list of causes may seem daunting, there is some good news: many of the factors that lead to foot problems in people with diabetes can be avoided or delayed by properly managing your blood glucose levels and making some small lifestyle changes. Internal Factors that Can Lead to Foot Problems Nerve damage: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is nerve damage caused by diabetes and consistently high blood glucose levels (over many years). Approximately two-thirds of people with diabetes suffer from some type of neuropathy1. Nerve damage can lead to a loss of feeling and sensation in the feet, which makes you more prone to injuries and other foot problems. Working to keep your blood glucose levels in check (70-130 mg/dl before meals and less than 180 mg/dl after meals2) can help lower your risk of nerve damage and resulting problems. Lowered immune system: People with diabetes may have immune systems that are suppressed, making it difficult for them to fight off infections in all parts of the body, including the feet. Because of this, sores and ulcers on the feet may worsen quickly, leading to foot infections. Circulation problems: Many people with diabetes have circulation problems in their extremities due to a condition, called arteriosclerosis, which causes the arteries to harden Continue reading >>
Diabetes Mellitus (cont.)
What causes diabetes? Insufficient production of insulin (either absolutely or relative to the body's needs), production of defective insulin (which is uncommon), or the inability of cells to use insulin properly and efficiently leads to hyperglycemia and diabetes. This latter condition affects mostly the cells of muscle and fat tissues, and results in a condition known as insulin resistance. This is the primary problem in type 2 diabetes. The absolute lack of insulin, usually secondary to a destructive process affecting the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, is the main disorder in type 1 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, there also is a steady decline of beta cells that adds to the process of elevated blood sugars. Essentially, if someone is resistant to insulin, the body can, to some degree, increase production of insulin and overcome the level of resistance. After time, if production decreases and insulin cannot be released as vigorously, hyperglycemia develops. What is glucose? Glucose is a simple sugar found in food. Glucose is an essential nutrient that provides energy for the proper functioning of the body cells. Carbohydrates are broken down in the small intestine and the glucose in digested food is then absorbed by the intestinal cells into the bloodstream, and is carried by the bloodstream to all the cells in the body where it is utilized. However, glucose cannot enter the cells alone and needs insulin to aid in its transport into the cells. Without insulin, the cells become starved of glucose energy despite the presence of abundant glucose in the bloodstream. In certain types of diabetes, the cells' inability to utilize glucose gives rise to the ironic situation of "starvation in the midst of plenty". The abundant, unutilized glucose is wastefully exc Continue reading >>
Diabetes: What's True And False?
en espaolLa diabetes: Qu es cierto y qu es falso? If you're like most people with diabetes, you'll get all kinds of advice about it from friends and family or online. Some of this information is wrong. Here's the truth about some of the common things you might hear. Does eating too much sugar cause diabetes? No. Type 1 diabetes happens when cells in the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed. This happens because something goes wrong with the body's immune system . It has nothing to do with how much sugar a person eats. Sugar doesn't cause diabetes. But there is one way that sugar can influence whether a person gets type 2 diabetes. Consuming too much sugar (or sugary foods and drinks) can make people put on weight. Gaining too much weight leads to type 2 diabetes in some people. Of course, eating too much sugar isn't the only cause of weight gain. Weight gain from eating too much of any food can make a person's chance of getting diabetes greater. Yes! You can have your cake and eat it too, just not the whole cake! Like everyone, people with diabetes should put the brakes on eating too many sweets. But you can still enjoy them sometimes. People with type 1 diabetes don't grow out of it. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas stops making insulin and won't make it again. People with type 1 diabetes will always need to take insulin, at least until scientists find a cure. People with type 2 diabetes will always have a tendency to get high blood sugar levels. But if they take steps to live a healthier life, it can sometimes lower their blood sugar. If people eat healthy foods and exercise enough to get their blood sugar levels back on track, doctors might say they can stop taking insulin or other medicines. Can you catch diabetes from a person who has it? No. Diabetes is not Continue reading >>
Gestational Diabetes: What Is It, And What Causes It?
When women are pregnant, they can develop something called gestational diabetes. This is similar to Type II diabetes, but it only occurs during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes arises because hormones generated in the placenta (the sack that surrounds the baby in the uterus) often have side effects on the rest of a woman’s body. Gestational diabetes can be a threat to the health of the mother and her baby, but if you’re an expectant mother—or are concerned about the health of a mother—be assured: women are generally tested for gestational diabetes as they get further into pregnancy, and if they follow some sensible guidelines for protecting their health, they can expect to recover after the baby is born. How Hormones Play a Role Pregnancy makes the body change in some obvious and less obvious ways. One of the less obvious ways is the effect pregnancy can have on the levels of various hormones in the woman’s body. Because hormones are the chemicals that parts of the body use to signal to to other parts of the body, these changing hormone levels can make you feel moody, sick, stressed, or calmer than normal, and they may make it harder to maintain healthy eating and exercise habits, among other things. Hormones can also affect your overall health by reducing your body’s ability to process blood sugar correctly. When that happens, blood sugar rises and gestational diabetes develops. That can harm the pregnant woman, and also have serious consequences for her unborn child. How Blood Sugar is Tested To screen you for gestational diabetes, your doctor will test your blood sugar in the same way they would test for Type I or Type II diabetes, by taking a tiny sample of your blood and checking the amount of blood sugar present in the sample. Generally, fasting blood s Continue reading >>
- Women in India with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Strategy (WINGS): Methodology and development of model of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (WINGS 4)
- Gestational Diabetes: Causes, Signs, Symptoms & Prevention
- Conjoint Associations of Gestational Diabetes and Hypertension With Diabetes, Hypertension, and Cardiovascular Disease in Parents: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Diabetes Causes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs because the body is unable to use blood sugar (glucose) properly. The exact cause of this malfunction is unknown, but genetic and environmental factors play a part. Risk factors for diabetes include obesity and high levels of cholesterol. Some specific causes are discussed below. Lack of insulin production This is primarily the cause of type 1 diabetes. It occurs when insulin-producing cells are damaged or destroyed and stop producing insulin. Insulin is needed to move blood sugar into cells throughout the body. The resulting insulin deficiency leaves too much sugar in the blood and not enough in the cells for energy. Insulin resistance This is specific to type 2 diabetes. It occurs when insulin is produced normally in the pancreas, but the body is still unable move glucose into the cells for fuel. At first, the pancreas will create more insulin to overcome the body’s resistance. Eventually the cells “wear out.” At that point the body slows insulin production, leaving too much glucose in the blood. This is known as prediabetes. A person with prediabetes has a blood sugar level higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Unless tested, the person may not be aware, as there are no clear symptoms. Type 2 diabetes occurs as insulin production continues to decrease and resistance increases. Symptoms of insulin resistance » Genetics plays a role in determining how likely you are to develop some type of diabetes. Researchers don’t fully understand the role of genetics in the development of diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, statistics show that if you have a parent or sibling with diabetes, your odds of developing it yourself increase. Although research is not conclusive, some eth Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes Causes
Type 2 diabetes has several causes: genetics and lifestyle are the most important ones. A combination of these factors can cause insulin resistance, when your body doesn’t use insulin as well as it should. Insulin resistance is the most common cause of type 2 diabetes. Genetics Play a Role in Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes can be hereditary. That doesn’t mean that if your mother or father has (or had) type 2 diabetes, you’re guaranteed to develop it; instead, it means that you have a greater chance of developing type 2. Researchers know that you can inherit a risk for type 2 diabetes, but it’s difficult to pinpoint which genes carry the risk. The medical community is hard at work trying to figure out the certain genetic mutations that lead to a risk of type 2. Lifestyle Is Very Important, Too Genes do play a role in type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle choices are also important. You can, for example, have a genetic mutation that may make you susceptible to type 2, but if you take good care of your body, you may not develop diabetes. Say that two people have the same genetic mutation. One of them eats well, watches their cholesterol, and stays physically fit, and the other is overweight (BMI greater than 25) and inactive. The person who is overweight and inactive is much more likely to develop type 2 diabetes because certain lifestyle choices greatly influence how well your body uses insulin. Lack of exercise: Physical activity has many benefits—one of them being that it can help you avoid type 2 diabetes, if you’re susceptible. Unhealthy meal planning choices: A meal plan filled with high-fat foods and lacking in fiber (which you can get from grains, vegetables, and fruits) increases the likelihood of type 2. Overweight/Obesity: Lack of exercise and unhealthy me Continue reading >>
What Causes Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus results mainly from a deficiency or diminished effectiveness of insulin that is normally produced by the beta cells of the pancreas. It is characterised by high blood sugar, altered sugar and glucose metabolism and this affects blood vessels and causes several organ damage. Causes of diabetes can be classified according to the types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes mellitus This results from the body's failure to produce sufficient insulin. Here the pancreatic beta cells are irreversibly damaged and so they cannot produce adequate insulin. This is believed to be due to an over active immune system that instead of fighting foreign microbes turns on the body’s own cells and begins to destroy the pancreatic cells. Since type 1 diabetes has been found in both identical twins in studies, four genes are thought to be important. One (6q) determines the sensitivity of the islet cells of pancreas to damage. This damage could be due to viruses or cross-reactivity from cow's milk-induced antibodies. In addition, associations with HLA DR3 and DR4 and islet cell antibodies around the time of diagnosis have been noted. Risks of developing type 1 diabetes are similar in all ethnic groups. This could be due to diet during childhood or due to genes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus Type 2 diabetes mellitus results from a resistance to the insulin. There may be a normal or increased level of insulin initially. The pancreatic beta cells try to secrete more insulin initially to meet the raised demands of the body. When it fails, type 2 diabetes develops. Risks for type 2 diabetes mellitus include excess body weight and physical inactivity. All racial groups are affected but increased prevalence in people of South Asian, African, African-Caribbean, Polynesian, Middle-Eastern and Ame Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes
What is type 2 diabetes? In type 2 diabetes a person’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or their body doesn't react properly to insulin, called insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, with around 3.6 million people in the UK diagnosed with the condition, according to Diabetes UK. Insulin is used by the body to manage glucose (sugar) levels in the blood and helps the body use glucose for energy. For some people, type 2 diabetes may be managed through diet and exercise. Other people may also need medication, and sometimes insulin, to manage blood sugar. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being over 40, having a family history of diabetes, being of South Asian, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern origin or being overweight or obese. How type 2 diabetes affects the body When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, the cells are not able to function properly. Other problems associated with the build-up of glucose in the blood include: Dehydration. The build-up of sugar in the blood leads to excess glucose in the urine because the kidneys can’t deal with the high sugar levels. The sugar in the urine draws water with it, causing an increase in urination. When the kidneys lose the glucose through the urine, a large amount of water is also lost, causing dehydration. Diabetic coma (hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic non-ketotic syndrome). When a person with type 2 diabetes becomes severely dehydrated and is not able to drink enough fluids to make up for the fluid losses, they may develop this life-threatening complication. Damage to the body. Over time, the high glucose levels in the blood may damage the nerves and predispose a person to atherosclerosis (narrowing) of the arteries that can cause heart attack and st Continue reading >>
Diabetes Information Symptoms, Causes And Prevention
The Risks of Treating Diabetes with Drugs Are FAR Worse than the Disease There is a staggering amount of misinformation on diabetes, a growing epidemic that afflicts more than 29 million people in the United States today. The sad truth is this: it could be your very OWN physician perpetuating this misinformation Most diabetics find themselves in a black hole of helplessness, clueless about how to reverse their condition. The bigger concern is that more than half of those with type 2 diabetes are NOT even aware they have diabetes and 90 percent of those who have a condition known as prediabetes arent aware of their circumstances, either. The latest diabetes statistics 1 echo an increase in diabetes cases, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. By some estimates, diabetes has increased more than 700 percent in the last 50 years! At least 29 million Americans are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and another 86 million are prediabetic . Whats hidden behind this medical smokescreen is that type 2 diabetes is completely preventable. The cure lies in a true understanding of the underlying cause (which is impaired insulin and leptin sensitivity) and implementing simple, inexpensive lifestyle adjustments that spell phenomenal benefits to your health. Also known as diabetes mellitus, type 1 diabetes is a chronic health condition traditionally characterized by elevated levels of glucose in your blood, often simply called high blood sugar. Type 1 diabetes dubbed juvenile onset diabetes is the relatively uncommon type, affecting only about 1 in 250 Americans. Occurring in individuals younger than age 20, it has no known cure. Whats most concerning about juvenile diabetes is that, these numbers have been going up steadily right along with type 2 diabetes: for non-Hispanic white youths ages Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Disease
A A A Do I need to follow-up with my doctor after being diagnosed with diabetic eye disease? Diabetes is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide, and, in the United States, it is the most common cause of blindness in people younger than 65 years of age. Diabetic eye disease also encompasses a wide range of other eye problems, for example, Diabetes may cause a reversible, temporary blurring of the vision, or it can cause a severe, permanent loss of vision. Some people may not even realize they have had diabetes for several years until they begin to experience problems with their eyes or vision. Diabetes also may result in heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and circulatory abnormalities of the legs. The American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 8.1 million people additional people went undiagnosed. (This population is unaware that they have diabetes.) In the United States 1.2 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed every year. In the US in 2012, the total annual cost of diagnosed diabetes was 2.45 billion. Eighty-six million people in the US have prediabetes, and 9 out of every 10 don't know they have it. Of the 86 million people with prediabetes, without lifestyle changes 15% to 30% of them will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years. Lifestyle management has been shown to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes by at least two-thirds. It can also slow or halt the progression of prediabetes to diabetes. People can try to avoid the problems associated with diabetes, including those that affect the eyes, by taking appropriate care of themselves by the following: Maintain a normal level of weight Watch your diet, especially limiting unhealthy types of fats and Continue reading >>
