diabetes mellitus months chronic diseases
Diabetes is the condition that results from lack
of insulin in a person's blood, or when their
body has a problem using the insulin it produces
(Insulin resistance). There are other kinds
of diabetes, like diabetes insipidus. However,
when people say "diabetes", they usually
mean diabetes mellitus. People with diabetes
mellitus are called "diabetics".
Glucose is not regular sugar that is available
in stores and supermarkets. Glucose is a natural
carbohydrate that our bodies use as a source of
energy. The kind of sugar sold in supermarkets
is called sucrose, and is much different from
glucose. High concentrations of glucose can
be found in soft drinks and fruits.[1]
Glucose level in the blood is controlled by
several hormones. Hormones are chemicals in
your body that send messages from cells to other
cells. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas. When you eat, the pancreas makes insulin to send a message to other cells in the body. This insulin tells the cells to take up glucose from the blood. The glucose is used by cells for energy. Extra glucose that is not needed right away is stored in some cells as glycogen. When you are not eating, cells break down glycogen into glucose to use as energy.
Type 1 diabetes mellitus happens when the part of the pancreas that makes insulin is destroyed by that person’s ownimmune system. When the pancreas does not make insulin, glucose – sugar – in the blood cannot get into the parts of the body that need sugar to live. In order to live, a person with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin for the rest of their life. They need to check their blood sugar level on a regular basis, often, many times each day. Type 1 diabetes happens most of the time in younger people, however it can occur in adults, although this is much less common. About 1 out of every 10 people with diabetes have Type 1 Diabetes.
