Diabetes Basics
- Diabetes is a chronic disorder affecting the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Simply put, it is a condition characterized by an elevated blood glucose level after fasting for 24 hours. Ideally, the body would respond quickly and efficiently enough to a rise in blood glucose levels by secreting and utilizing insulin, the hormone responsible for increasing the rate at which cells absorb glucose. In diabetics, this control mechanism is faulty, and blood glucose levels remain elevated.
Diabetes is the main disease in a collection of disorders that affect our metabolism and blood glucose levels. Because diabetes is a metabolic disease that is affected by such menial daily activities as eating, drinking, exercising, and even relaxing, it is crucial to identify it early. Some early signs of the potential development of diabetes include hypoglycemic symptoms (when blood sugar drops quickly, resulting in shakiness and irritability) and metabolic syndrome X (a grouping of symptoms that include elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure). By understanding the physiology of diabetes and these potentially pre-diabetic conditions, you will be better equipped to seek medical guidance for any symptoms you experience. You will also be better able to make decisions on your treatment options, and to appreciate the influence of diet and lifestyle in helping your body to run its metabolic processes as smoothly, efficiently, and as long as possible.Diabetes and Prediabetic Conditions
- Type I Diabetes Mellitus: DMI usually begins in childhood and is due to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas. The cause is viral or autoimmune disease. Insulin allows glucose to travel from the blood into the cells, where it can be metabolized. When there isn’t enough insulin, blood glucose levels become elevated.
- Type II Diabetes Mellitus: DMII usually begins in adulthood and is often due to insulin resistance or improper response of insulin receptors to the insulin produced by the pancreas.
- Hypoglycemia: The symptoms of hypoglycemia come on when blood sugar levels drop too low. Symptoms go away after eating, when blood sugar levels return to normal. The diagnosis of hypoglycemia is usually based on symptoms because blood sugar levels are only low at the time patients are experiencing symptoms.
- Hyperinsulinemia: This condition is often a precursor to Type II diabetes. Patients can develop elevated insulin levels before they develop elevated blood glucose levels. The pancreas makes and secretes excessive amounts of insulin, presumably in an effort to compensate for insulin resistance.
- Syndrome X: This syndrome refers to a metabolic syndrome of hyperinsulinemia that is associated with high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, and low HDL levels. Predisposing factors include a family history of Type II diabetes, a diet high in carbohydrates, and a sedentary lifestyle. Truncal obesity, fatty liver, difficulty losing weight, and hypoglycemia often accompany this condition.
