Incredible Facts About Diabetes & How To Manage It.

Diabetes affects twenty-nine million Americans, while globally eighty-six million individuals have pre-diabetes, and eight million have diabetes mellitus. Fortunately, diabetes mellitus can be effectively managed, however, it is a chronic disease that lasts a lifetime. Continue reading to learn the causes, symptoms, and how to manage both types of diabetes today.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus, commonly abbreviated to DM, is a set of metabolic diseases that are characterized by high glucose, or blood sugar levels resulting from defective insulin secretion or action, or both. Diabetes mellitus is often referred to as diabetes. Usually, the level of blood glucose is regulated by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, to lower these levels. When the blood glucose levels increase, such as after a meal, the pancreas releases insulin to regulate the glucose level by promoting its uptake into the body cells. In diabetic patients, the insufficient production, or absence of, or the inability to respond to insulin produces hyperglycemia.

Next, find out what causes DM and how insulin works within the body.

Causes Of Diabetes Mellitus

Type I diabetes is an autoimmune condition. The combination of genetic predisposition and other unknown factors can cause the immune system to combat the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Type II diabetes is usually induced by insulin resistance, meaning that no matter how little or how much insulin the body produces, it cannot be utilized as required. Thus, the glucose cannot be transported from the blood into the cells. With time, the excess glucose in the blood poisons the pancreas, forcing it to produce less insulin, making it impossible to control the blood glucose levels.

The primary cause of insulin resistance is obesity, as over eighty percent of individuals suffering from Type II diabetes are overweight. Also, genetic factors are believed to contribute to an individual developing Type II diabetes, especially if there is a family history of the disease.

Continue reading to discover the risk factors associated with DM.