Understanding Diabetes: What Diabetes Is and What Causes It
Although millions of people in the United States and around the world have diabetes, many people are unsure about what diabetes is. So let’s get to the heart of the matter and with some diabetes information and facts about the causes of diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition in which the body can no longer regulate blood sugar levels, resulting in an unhealthy buildup of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. High blood glucose may not cause immediate, noticeable symptoms, but over time, it can damage blood vessels and lead to serious complications, including heart disease, kidney problems, nerve damage, and blindness. That's why the main goal in managing diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels as close to healthy as possible.
Here's a quick look at some basic diabetes information, as well as a few facts about how the body regulates blood sugar:
Your body converts carbohydrates from the foods you eat into a simple sugar called glucose -- your body's main source of fuel. During digestion, the glucose is passed into your bloodstream, causing your blood glucose level to rise. Normally, this triggers the release of insulin -- a hormone produced by your pancreas -- which helps move extra glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells, where it's used for energy. In people with diabetes, however, this is where the system breaks down because there's no insulin or not enough insulin, or because cells have become resistant to insulin.
Types of Diabetes
There are several types of diabetes, but type 2 diabetes is by far the most common. It's estimated that of the nearly 24 million adults who have diabetes in America, 90%–95% have type 2, about 5%–10% have type 1, and 1%–5% have another form of diabetes.
Type 1: In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that make insulin. With little or no insulin, glucose accumulates in the blood and can't get to the cells that need it. People with type 1 diabetes need daily insulin injections or doses of insulin from an insulin pump to stay alive. Type 1 diabetes may also be referred to as juvenile-onset diabetes (because it's most often diagnosed in children and young adults) or insulin-dependent diabetes (because it requires insulin).
Type 2: In type 2 diabetes, either there's not enough insulin to regulate blood sugar or there would be enough but the body's cells have become resistant to it and can't use it properly, or both. Often, type 2 diabetes starts with insulin resistance. The resulting high glucose in the blood stimulates the beta cells in the pancreas to continue producing more insulin until eventually the beta cells can wear out from constant overproduction and can no longer make enough insulin.
You can help prevent -- or manage -- type 2 diabetes by being physically active, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Gestational diabetes: Diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes and occurs in about 7% of pregnant women. It's usually a temporary condition that goes away after pregnancy, but in some women it can continue even after childbirth. Gestational diabetes increases a woman's risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Other types of diabetes: Less common types of diabetes are caused by genetic conditions, medications, pancreatic disorders, infections, and other diseases.
