What is
diabetes?
Diabetes is a complex
metabolic condition that causes people to have high blood sugar, also called
high blood glucose and hyperglycemia. This happens because the body’s way of
converting glucose into energy is not functioning properly.
Glucose comes from both
digested carbohydrates and stored sites in the body, primarily your liver. With
the help of insulin, cells throughout the body are able to absorb this glucose
to use as energy to fuel the body and brain.
When blood sugar is high
(post-meal) insulin is released to signal cells to absorb sugar, reducing the
concentration in the blood.
Alternatively when blood sugar is low, the hormone glucagon
acts antagonistically by signaling cells to release stored sugar to raise your
blood sugar. This is tightly regulated to ensure your blood sugar levels are always
between 70-110 mg/dl.
Diabetes develops when
blood sugar remains elevated because the body doesn’t make enough insulin or it
is not able to effectively use insulin. Without functional insulin, the levels
of blood sugar are high but the body’s cells are starved of energy.
Type 1,
type 2 and pre-diabetes
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes
are a result of the body lacking functional insulin. Type 2 diabetes accounts
for around 90% of all adults with diabetes and tends to be associated with
excess weight, physical inactivity, family history and certain ethnicities.
In type 1-diabetes, known
as early-onset diabetes, insulin is not produced because the body’s immune
system has attacked the cells that make it.
In type 2-diabetes, known
as adult-onset diabetes, the body produces insulin however cells do not respond
to it. This is called in insulin resistance, a condition linked to obesity,
wherein the cells that normally absorb sugar are not using insulin properly. As
a result, the pancreas has to produce more insulin to help the sugar enter
cells to keep the blood sugar levels normal. Over time, the pancreas is
overworked and loses its ability produce the required insulin causing blood
sugar levels to slowly rise.
Prediabetes is a condition
when blood glucose levels are rising but are not yet high enough to be
diagnosed as diabetes. This means that this person is at an increased risk for
developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, but is in a position to
prevent type 2 diabetes from developing.
Symptoms
and risk factors
Symptoms in diabetes do
not arise early in the disease but may include urinating more frequently, increased
thirst, unexplained weight loss, headaches and tiredness.
Anyone age 45 and older
should be tested for diabetes, especially if overweight or obese. People
younger than 45 should consider testing if they are overweight or obese and
have any of the following risk factors:
- physical inactivity
- family history of
diabetes
- high blood pressure
- abnormal blood fats
- history of
cardiovascular disease
- family background that is African American,
Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic or Pacific Islander
American.
Early
detection
Screening and early
detection is imperative in preventing and managing diabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed
by a blood test from a healthcare provider and sent to a lab for analysis.
Testing enables healthcare providers to:
- Identify cases of
pre-diabetes to prevent or delay the onset of type 2-diabetes developing.
Pre-diabetes is a reversible disease and if it is caught early enough can be
completely prevented through diet and lifestyle change.
- Treat diabetes before
serious complications arise. There is a substantial reduction in risk of
complications when levels are regularly monitored. Monitoring levels is
absolutely crucial to detect any early signs of complications so they can be
caught and treated successfully.
Complications
As a result of persistent
high blood sugar levels, damage can be done to the body’s nerves and blood
vessels. This can lead to serious complications including heart disease,
stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputations. The best way to avoid these
complications is to check blood levels regularly and make sure they are under
control. The earlier a difference is noticed, the more likely the complications
can be safely managed.
References
Herman WH et al. (2015).
Early detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes reduce cardiovascular
morbidity and mortality: A stimulation of the results of the Anglo-Danish-Dutch
study of intensive treatment in people with screen-detected diabetes in primary
care. Diabetes Journal.
Lazar MA (2005). How
obesity causes diabetes: Not a tall tale. Science.
Harlan D (2014).
Diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes. National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.
Seidell JC. (2000).
Obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes – a worldwide epidemic. British Journal of Nutrition.
