Medication
Treatment of type 1 diabetes usually involves a combination of insulin therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. If your body is no longer producing enough insulin, you’ll need to take insulin every day to help regulate your blood sugar.
Nutrition
Because glucose levels can fluctuate, people with type 1 diabetes usually need to check their blood sugar throughout the day to determine how much insulin they need to take. There are different types of insulin, and different ways of administering it. There are several different types of insulin that work in various ways.
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In most people with type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system, which normally fights infection, attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. As a result, your pancreas stops making insulin. Without insulin, glucose can’t get into your cells and your blood glucose rises above normal.
How is type 1 diabetes treated?
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, called beta cells.
Why do people with Type 1 diabetes need to take insulin?
What happens to your body when you have type 1 diabetes?
What causes Type 1 diabetes?
What is the first step for treating type 1 diabetes?
People who have type 1 diabetes must take insulin as part of their treatment. Because their bodies can't make insulin anymore, they need to get the right amount to keep their blood sugar levels in a healthy range. The only way to get insulin into the body now is by injection with a needle or with an insulin pump.
How does type 1 diabetes get treated?
If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll need to use insulin to treat your diabetes. You take the insulin by injection or by using a pump. If you have Type 2 diabetes, you may have to use insulin or tablets, though you might initially be able to treat your diabetes by eating well and moving more.
How does type 1 diabetes arise and why do Type 1 diabetics need to be treated with insulin?
Inside the cells, glucose is stored and later used for energy. With type 1 diabetes, beta cells produce little or no insulin. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells. This buildup of glucose in the blood is called hyperglycemia.
Can type 1 diabetes be treated without insulin?
For people with “traditional” T1D, particularly those diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, to survive without insulin, “they would need to stay on carbohydrate restriction and stay very hydrated,” Kaufman says. But their survival rate is “multiple days, to a few weeks, getting sicker and weaker as time goes on.
Can your pancreas start working again type 1 diabetes?
Researchers have discovered that patients with type 1 diabetes can regain the ability to produce insulin. They showed that insulin-producing cells can recover outside the body. Hand-picked beta cells from the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.
When do type 1 diabetics take insulin?
People with type 1 diabetes must inject insulin every day, often up to 4 or 5 times per day. There are different ways to inject insulin ranging from a syringe and needle, to an insulin delivery pen, to an insulin pump.
Can diabetes Type 1 disappear?
The truth is, while type 1 diabetes can be managed with insulin, diet and exercise, there is currently no cure. However, researchers with the Diabetes Research Institute are now working on treatments to reverse the disease, so that people with type 1 diabetes can live healthy lives without medication.
What triggers type 1 diabetes?
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.
Can type 1 diabetes be treated?
There isn't a cure yet for type 1 diabetes, but it's very treatable. You may have found out you have type 1 diabetes from a routine blood test. Or you may have had sudden and severe symptoms that led to a trip to the doctor or even the emergency room.
Can you get off insulin once you start?
Although there's no cure for type 2 diabetes, studies show it's possible for some people to reverse it. Through diet changes and weight loss, you may be able to reach and hold normal blood sugar levels without medication. This doesn't mean you're completely cured.
Do type 1 diabetics always need insulin?
It's necessary to take insulin when you have type 1 diabetes. Your body doesn't produce the hormone insulin, and without that, your body can't properly get the energy and fuel it needs from glucose. Because people with type 1 diabetes rely on insulin, it was formerly called insulin-dependent diabetes.
How did diabetics survive before insulin?
Before insulin was discovered in 1921, people with diabetes didn't live for long; there wasn't much doctors could do for them. The most effective treatment was to put patients with diabetes on very strict diets with minimal carbohydrate intake. This could buy patients a few extra years but couldn't save them.
Overview
With type 1 diabetes, your pancreas loses the ability to make enough insulin, a hormone that helps the body absorb blood sugar, or glucose, and convert it to energy. When this happens, the sugar builds up in your blood.
Insulin
If your body is no longer producing enough insulin, you’ll need to take insulin every day to help regulate your blood sugar. Because glucose levels can fluctuate, people with type 1 diabetes usually need to check their blood sugar throughout the day to determine how much insulin they need to take.
Metformin
Metformin is an oral medication that is often prescribed to people with type 2 diabetes to help them control their glucose levels. This medication does not increase insulin in the body. Instead, it lowers glucose production, and also helps insulin work more effectively.
Medications
Your doctor might prescribe other medications, such as blood pressure medication, cholesterol-lowering medications, or aspirin. These medications don’t treat the diabetes itself, but help reduce the risk of other health problems that can be related to diabetes, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and kidney problems.
Artificial Pancreas
An artificial pancreas is a medical device that mimics the work of a real pancreas by monitoring your blood sugar levels and releasing insulin automatically. Instead of checking your glucose levels and injecting yourself throughout the day, you wear a sensor under your skin, a continuous glucose monitor, and an insulin pump.
Islet Cell Transplantation
Islet cell transplantation is a procedure that takes healthy insulin-producing cells from a donor pancreas, and transplants them into a person with type 1 diabetes.
Pancreas Transplant
In some cases, doctors can take a healthy transplant from a deceased donor, and transplant it into the body of someone with type 1 diabetes. While this procedure can restore the body’s natural insulin production, it’s also risky, because the medications you have to take to prevent your body from rejecting the pancreas can have serious side effects.
Why is type 1 diabetes caused?
Experts think type 1 diabetes is caused by genes and factors in the environment, such as viruses, that might trigger the disease. Researchers are working to pinpoint the causes of type 1 diabetes through studies such as TrialNet. External link.
What blood test is used to diagnose type 1 diabetes?
Health care professionals most often use the random plasma glucose (RPG) test to diagnose type 1 diabetes. This blood test measures your blood glucose level at a single point in time. Sometimes health professionals also use the A1C blood test to find out how long someone has had high blood glucose.
What is the artificial pancreas system?
An artificial pancreas system uses a continuous glucose monitor, an insulin pump, and a control algorithm to give you the right amount of basal insulin.
What is the purpose of artificial pancreas?
An artificial pancreas replaces manual blood glucose testing and the use of insulin shots.
What is the main source of energy for diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes mainly from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps the glucose in your blood get into your cells to be used for energy.
Why do you need insulin?
If you have type 1 diabetes, you must take insulin because your body no longer makes this hormone. Different types of insulin start to work at different speeds, and the effects of each last a different length of time. You may need to use more than one type. You can take insulin a number of ways.
Can you test for autoantibodies in type 1 diabetes?
The presence of certain types of autoantibodies is common in type 1 but not in type 2 diabetes. Because type 1 diabetes can run in families, your health care professional can test your family members for autoantibodies. Type 1 diabetes TrialNet, an international research network, also offers autoantibody testing to family members.
When is insulin taken?
The usual treatment schedule is: The long acting insulin is typically taken at bedtime and/or morning. Nutritional insulin is taken before each meal, based on how many carbohydrates are in the meal, ...
What is correctional insulin?
Correctional insulin corrects high blood glucose before meals. Similar to nutritional insulin. Similar to nutritional insulin. Most patients with type 1 diabetes are treated with “intensive” or “basal-bolus” insulin therapy, which requires four injections a day. This method allows a great deal of flexibility with regards to the types ...
Can you produce insulin on your own?
Type 1 diabetes completely damages the pancreas, an organ responsible for making insulin. For that reason, persons with type 1 diabetes cannot produce any insulin on their own. Every patient with type 1 diabetes depends on injections of insulin so that glucose can be used as energy in the body.
Is insulin taken before or after a meal?
Nutritional insulin is taken before each meal, based on how many carbohydrates are in the meal, in addition to correctional insulin which is based on the blood glucose reading before the meal. Meeting with a dietitian can help patients learn carbohydrate counting, with specific dosing recommendations from the health care provider.
How does Type 1 diabetes happen?
Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, called beta cells. This process can go on for months or years before any symptoms appear. Some people have certain genes (traits passed on from parent to child) ...
How long does it take for diabetes to show symptoms?
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can develop in just a few weeks or months. Once symptoms appear, they can be severe. Some type 1 diabetes symptoms are similar to symptoms of other health conditions.
What is a DKA?
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that can be life-threatening. DKA develops when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into your cells for use as energy. Very high blood sugar and low insulin levels lead to DKA. The two most common causes are illness and missing insulin shots.
What is the hormone that helps blood sugar enter the cells in your body?
Insulin is a hormone that helps blood sugar enter the cells in your body where it can be used for energy. Without insulin, blood sugar can’t get into cells and builds up in the bloodstream. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and causes many of the symptoms and complications of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes (previously called insulin-dependent ...
How to prevent diabetes complications?
Keeping your blood sugar levels as close to target as possible will help you prevent or delay diabetes-related complications. Stress is a part of life, but it can make managing diabetes harder, including managing your blood sugar levels and dealing with daily diabetes care.
Why do you need insulin every day?
If you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin shots (or wear an insulin pump) every day to manage your blood sugar levels and get the energy your body needs. Insulin can’t be taken as a pill because the acid in your stomach would destroy it before it could get into your bloodstream.
How to check blood sugar?
Recognize the signs of high or low blood sugar and what to do about it. Give yourself insulin by syringe, pen, or pump. Monitor your feet, skin, and eyes to catch problems early. Buy diabetes supplies and store them properly.
What causes type 1 diabetes?
Doctors aren't sure exactly what causes type 1 diabetes. They believe your genes may play a role. Researchers are also checking to see if there are things that trigger the disease, like your diet or a virus that you caught.
How do you know if you have type 1 diabetes?
You may notice that you: Get extremely thirsty or hungry. Need to pee often. Feel unusually tired or weak. Lose weight suddenly. Get blurred vision or other changes in the way you see. Get vaginal yeast infections.
What does it mean if your A1C is 6.5?
If you have an A1c level of 6.5 or higher on two separate exams, you have diabetes. Random blood sugar test. It checks your blood glucose at a random time of day. A level of 200 mg/dL or higher is a sign that you have diabetes. Fasting blood sugar test.
Why is diabetes called juvenile diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes used to be called "juvenile diabetes," because it's usually diagnosed in children and teens. But don't let that old-school name fool you. It can start when you're a grownup, too. Many of the symptoms are similar to type 2 diabetes, so it's sometimes tricky to know which kind you've got.
When to do a fasting blood test?
Fasting blood sugar test. Your doctor does this first thing in the morning, before you've eaten. You have diabetes if your level is 126 mg/dL or higher on two separate tests. Besides those exams, your doctor may also test your blood for certain antibodies that are common in type 1 diabetes.
Can a doctor tell if you have diabetes?
Your doctor might rule out diabetes, since most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Your doctor may suggest several tests that can tell you if you have diabetes, although you won't know if it's type 1 or type 2. Glycated hemoglobin (A1c) test. It measures your average blood glucose level for 2 to 3 months.
Can type 1 diabetes show up in kids?
Another confusing part of getting a diagnosis is that many people with type 1 diabetes are lean or have a normal weight.
What are the main steps in developing type 1 diabetes?
There are several main steps in the typical pattern of developing type 1 diabetes: Islet cell autoimmunity, characterized by the presence of autoantibodies, A decrease in beta cell mass that reduces insulin production and results in slightly elevated blood glucose levels, and. Overt hyperglycemia accompanied by the clinical symptoms of diabetes.
How does diabetes type 1 occur?
Type 1 diabetes is believed to be caused by the combination of a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger. Formerly known as juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed in childhood, as well as in adulthood. In fact, between 25% and 50% of type 1 diabetes diagnoses today occur in individuals over 18 years old.
What is Type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a medical disorder characterized by the autoimmune destruction of the pancreatic islet cells, eventually leading to the absence of the production of insulin and other important hormones.
What is the A1C level of a diabetic?
In general, two fasting blood glucose levels over 126 mg/dL (~ 7.0 mmol/L), a random reading of over 200 mg/dL (~ 11 mmol/L), and an A1c of 6.5% (~ 47.5 mmol/mol ) or greater is characteristic of diabetes. An A1c level between 5.7%-6.4% (~ 38.8 mmol/mol-46.4 mmol/mol) is considered to be characteristic of “pre-diabetes.”
How long does it take for diabetes to progress?
In some people, the process of islet cell destruction appears to occur very rapidly, in as little time as a few weeks or months, whereas in others, the process can progress very slowly, over the course of several years or more.
Do all people with type 1 diabetes have autoantibodies?
However, not all patients with type 1 diabetes have autoantibodies, highlighting the heterogeneous and multifactorial nature of the disease. In addition, far from all individuals who are diagnosed with diabetes undergo these clinical tests, which is likely a large contributor to the high misdiagnosis rates.
Can you have type 1 diabetes with no symptoms?
Because early onset of type 1 diabetes may present with no overt clinical symptoms, misdiagnoses of pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes frequently occur in the adult population. It is estimated that between 5% and 15% of adults who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may actually have type 1 diabetes. The clinical tests to check for diabetes may include ...
How common is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is much less common than type 2 diabetes and typically affects younger individuals. Type 1 diabetes usually begins before age 40, although there have been people diagnosed at an older age. In the United States, the peak age at diagnosis is around 14. Type 1 diabetes is associated with deficiency (or lack) of insulin. It is not known why, but the pancreatic islet cells quit producing insulin in the quantities needed to maintain a normal blood glucose level. Without sufficient insulin, the blood glucose rises to levels which can cause some of the common symptoms of hyperglycemia. These individuals seek medical help when these symptoms arise, but they often will experience weight loss developing over several days associated with the onset of their diabetes. The onset of these first symptoms may be fairly abrupt or more gradual. To learn more about type 1 diabetes basics, see our type 1 diabetes slideshow. It has been estimated that the yearly incidence of type 1 diabetes developing is 3.7 to 20 per 100,000. More than 700,000 Americans have this type of diabetes. This is about 10% of all Americans diagnosed with diabetes; the other 90% have type 2 diabetes. What You Need to Know about Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes Causes Type 1 diabetes usually develops due to an autoimmune disorder. This is when the body's immune system behaves inappropriately and starts seeing one of its own tissues as foreign. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the islet cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are seen as the "enemy" by mistake. The body then creates antibodies to fight the "foreign" tissue and destroys the islet cells' ability to produce insulin. The lack of sufficient insulin thereby results in diabetes. It is unknown why this autoimmune diabetes develops. Most often Continue reading >>
Why do people with diabetes need insulin?
It stays in the blood, and when you have too much glucose in your blood, it can damage your organs and other parts of your body. Therefore, people with type 1 diabetes must take insulin in order to manage their blood glucose levels and make sure their bodies get the energy they need. Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, and you may still hear those names used. Type 1 Diabetes Causes Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the immune system turns against your body. Instead of protecting the body, the immune system in people with type 1 diabetes starts to destroy beta cells—and those are the cells that are in charge of making insulin. The medical community isn’t sure what causes the immune system to start destroying the beta cells. Some thoughts are: a genetic susceptibility to developing type 1 diabetes certain viruses (for example, German measles or mumps) environmental factors Regardless of what triggers the immune system to turn against the beta cells, the end result is the same in type 1 diabetes: gradually, all beta cells are destroyed and the body is no longer able to produce insulin. Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms Type 1 diabetes develops gradually, but the symptoms come on suddenly. As soon as the body is no longer making insulin, blood glucose levels rise quickly, so the following type 1 diabetes warning signs can develop: extreme weakness extreme tiredness rapid weight loss increased appetite extreme thirst increased urination nausea and/or vomiting fruity breath wounds tha Continue reading >>
How do you know if you have 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 >>
How does diabetes affect the body?
Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose , the main type of sugar in the blood. Our bodies break down the foods we eat into glucose and other nutrients we need, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream from the gastrointestinal tract. The glucose level in the blood rises after a meal and triggers the pancreas to make the hormone insulin and release it into the bloodstream. But in people with diabetes, the body either can't make or can't respond to insulin properly. Insulin works like a key that opens the doors to cells and lets the glucose in. Without insulin, glucose can't get into the cells (the doors are "locked" and there is no key) and so it stays in the bloodstream. As a result, the level of sugar in the blood remains higher than normal. High blood sugar levels are a problem because they can cause a number of health problems. The two types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. Both make blood sugar levels higher than normal but they do so in different ways. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas loses its ability to make insulin because the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. No one knows exactly why this happens, but scientists think it has something to do with genes. But just getting the genes for diabetes isn't usually enough. A person probably would then have to be exposed to something else — like a virus — to get type 1 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes , the pancreas still makes insulin but the body doesn't respond to it normally. Glucose is less able to enter the cells and do its job of supplying energy (a problem called insulin resistance ). This raises the blood sugar level, so the pancreas works hard to make even more insulin. Eventually, this strain can make the pancreas unable to produce enough ins Continue reading >>
What is the difference between juvenile diabetes and gestational diabetes?
For years, distinguishing between the various types of diabetes was pretty straightforward: “Juvenile diabetes,” an autoimmune disease, was diagnosed primarily in children and teenagers when their own body’s immune system destroyed the insulin-producing (beta) cells in their pancreas. “Adult-ons et diabetes” occurred in adults and was generally associated with insulin resistance and often with overweight. And “gestational diabetes” occurred in pregnant women and disappeared once the pregnancy was over . In the past 25 years, however, determining what type of diabetes a person has has become more of a challenge. In large part, that’s because more and more children and teenagers are now being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes — the type that occurred predominantly in adults in generations past. Most of these children and teens are overweight. At the same time, it’s becoming clearer that Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age and sometimes occurs in people who are overweight. In addition, another type of diabetes, called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, or LADA, that shares some characteristics with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, has been recognized. Muddying the water further is the realization that diabetic ketoacidosis, an acute, life-threatening complication of diabetes that is caused by a lack of insulin, can occur in people with Type 2 diabetes — not just in people with Type 1, as was previously thought. And while gestational diabetes is still diagnosed only in pregnant women, it is sometimes discovered that what is thought to be gestational diabetes is really Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes that happens to start during pregnancy. The incidence of diabetes has increased so greatly around the world in the past 25 years that health organizations and med Continue reading >>
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is the type of diabetes that typically develops in children and in young adults. In type 1 diabetes the body stops making insulin and the blood sugar (glucose) level goes very high. Treatment to control the blood glucose level is with insulin injections and a healthy diet. Other treatments aim to reduce the risk of complications. They include reducing blood pressure if it is high and advice to lead a healthy lifestyle. What is type 1 diabetes? What is type 1 diabetes? Play VideoPlayMute0:00/0:00Loaded: 0%Progress: 0%Stream TypeLIVE0:00Playback Rate1xChapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Subtitles undefined settings, opens undefined settings dialog captions and subtitles off, selected Audio TrackFullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Diabetes mellitus (just called diabetes from now on) occurs when the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood becomes higher than normal. There are two main types of diabetes. These are called type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually first develops in children or young adults. In the UK about 1 in 300 people develop type 1 diabetes at some stage. With type 1 diabet Continue reading >>
How common is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is much less common than type 2 diabetes and typically affects younger individuals. Type 1 diabetes usually begins before age 40, although there have been people diagnosed at an older age. In the United States, the peak age at diagnosis is around 14. Type 1 diabetes is associated with deficiency (or lack) of insulin. It is not known why, but the pancreatic islet cells quit producing insulin in the quantities needed to maintain a normal blood glucose level. Without sufficient insulin, the blood glucose rises to levels which can cause some of the common symptoms of hyperglycemia. These individuals seek medical help when these symptoms arise, but they often will experience weight loss developing over several days associated with the onset of their diabetes. The onset of these first symptoms may be fairly abrupt or more gradual. To learn more about type 1 diabetes basics, see our type 1 diabetes slideshow. It has been estimated that the yearly incidence of type 1 diabetes developing is 3.7 to 20 per 100,000. More than 700,000 Americans have this type of diabetes. This is about 10% of all Americans diagnosed with diabetes; the other 90% have type 2 diabetes. What You Need to Know about Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes Causes Type 1 diabetes usually develops due to an autoimmune disorder. This is when the body's immune system behaves inappropriately and starts seeing one of its own tissues as foreign. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the islet cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are seen as the "enemy" by mistake. The body then creates antibodies to fight the "foreign" tissue and destroys the islet cells' ability to produce insulin. The lack of sufficient insulin thereby results in diabetes. It is unknown why this autoimmune diabetes develops. Most often Continue reading >>
What happens when you don't make enough insulin?
What is diabetes? Diabetes happens when your body does not make enough insulin or cannot use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone. It controls how much sugar is in your blood. A high level of sugar in your blood can cause problems in many parts of your body, including your heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain. Over time, this can lead to kidney disease and kidney failure. There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally begins when people are young. In this case, the body does not make enough insulin. Type 2 diabetes is usually found in adults over 40, but is becoming more common in younger people. It is usually associated with being overweight and tends to run in families. In type 2 diabetes, the body makes insulin, but cannot use it well. What is chronic kidney disease (CKD)? Your kidneys are important because they keep the rest of your body in balance. They: Remove waste products from the body Balance the body’s fluids Help keep blood pressure under control Keep bones healthy Help make red blood cells. When you have kidney disease, it means that the kidneys have been damaged. Kidneys can get damaged from a disease like diabetes. Once your kidneys are damaged, they cannot filter your blood nor do other jobs as well as they should. When diabetes is not well controlled, the sugar level in your blood goes up. This is called hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can cause damage to many parts of your body, especially the kidneys, heart, blood vessels, eyes, feet, nerves. Diabetes can harm the kidneys by causing damage to: Blood vessels inside your kidneys. The filtering units of the kidney are filled with tiny blood vessels. Over time, high sugar levels in the blood can cause these vessels to become narrow and clogged. Without enough blood, the kid Continue reading >>
What are the symptoms of diabetes type 1 and type 2?
Absence or insufficient production of insulin, or an inability of the body to properly use insulin causes diabetes. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 and type 2. Former names for these conditions were insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, or juvenile onset and adult onset diabetes. Symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes include increased urine output, excessive thirst, weight loss, hunger, fatigue, skin problems slow healing wounds, yeast infections, and tingling or numbness in the feet or toes. Some of the risk factors for getting diabetes include being overweight or obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle, a family history of diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and low levels of the "good" cholesterol (HDL) and elevated levels of triglycerides in the blood. If you think you may have prediabetes or diabetes contact a health-care professional. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels that result from defects in insulin secretion, or its action, or both. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes (as it will be in this article) was first identified as a disease associated with "sweet urine," and excessive muscle loss in the ancient world. Elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) lead to spillage of glucose into the urine, hence the term sweet urine. Normally, blood glucose levels are tightly controlled by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. When the blood glucose elevates (for example, after eating food Continue reading >>
How does diabetes affect the body?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar (also called glucose) and released into your bloodstream. Your pancreas makes a hormone called insulin, which acts like a key to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream, which over time can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. There isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, but healthy lifestyle habits, taking medicine as needed, getting diabetes self-management education, and keeping appointments with your health care team can greatly reduce its impact on your life. 30.3 million US adults have diabetes, and 1 in 4 of them don’t know they have it. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and adult-onset blindness. In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than tripled as the American population has aged and become more overweight or obese. Types of Diabetes There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes while pregnant). Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that stops your body from making insulin. About 5% of the people who have diabetes have type 1. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop quickly. It’s usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. If you have type 1 diabetes, you’ll need t Continue reading >>
How does gestational diabetes affect the body?
Like type 1 and type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes causes blood sugar levels to become too high. When you eat, your digestive system breaks down most of the food into a sugar called glucose. Glucose enters your bloodstream so your cells can use it as fuel. With the help of insulin (a hormone made by your pancreas), muscle, fat, and other cells absorb glucose from your blood. But if your body doesn't produce enough insulin, or if the cells have a problem responding to it, too much glucose remains in your blood instead of moving into cells and getting converted to energy. When you're pregnant, your body naturally becomes more resistant to insulin so that more glucose is available to nourish your baby. For most moms-to-be, this isn't a problem: When your body needs additional insulin to process excess glucose in blood, the pancreas secretes more. But if the pancreas can't keep up with the increased demand for insulin during pregnancy, blood sugar levels rise too high because the cells aren't using the glucose. This results in gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes needs to be recognized and treated quickly because it can cause health problems for mother and baby. Unlike other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes isn't permanent. Once a baby is born, blood sugar will most likely return to normal quickly. However, having gestational diabetes does make developing diabetes in the future more likely. Am I at risk of developing gestational diabetes? Anyone can develop gestational diabetes, and not all women who develop the condition have known risk factors. About 5 to 10 percent of all pregnant women get gestational diabetes. You're more likely to develop gestational diabetes if you Continue reading >>
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