So what goes wrong to cause Diabetes?
OK here we go. Time to sit up and pay attention. We need a bit of a biology lesson. Normally, a chemical (or hormone) within the body called insulin controls the levels of glucose or sugar in our bloodstreams. Glucose comes from the food we eat. Our food passes into our stomachs and is digested in the stomach and small intestine and is converted into glucose or sugar which passes into our bloodstream
Insulin is produced in the pancreas, a gland that lies behind the stomach. Insulin allows glucose to move into our muscles and into our liver where it can be used to provide energy. Normally our bodies can produce enough insulin to keep the amount of glucose in the blood just right and under control.
Diabetes happens when there is a lack of (or no) insulin (this is the problem in type 1 diabetes) or when the body does not respond properly to the insulin that is produced (this is the problem in type 2 diabetes). When there is a lack of insulin or the body does not respond to insulin then blood glucose or sugar levels become too high and the body is unable to convert glucose into energy in the normal way. Once the amount of glucose in the blood reaches a certain level, it then spills over into the urine and you can feel unwell and develop symptoms. If blood glucose levels remain high for a long time (years) then you can develop diabetes complications.
Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin dependent diabetes) develops because the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. In fact, only very little or no insulin at all is produced. Type 1 diabetes usually develops early in life (in childhood or early adulthood) and always requires treatment with insulin injections.
Type 2 diabetes usually occurs in older people and is a much more common form of diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes are still able to make insulin but the insulin does not work as well as it should. Even by producing more insulin it is still not possible to keep the blood sugars from rising. People with type 2 diabetes respond to treatment with diet and exercise initially but often will require tablets and insulin later in their lives.
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic conditions. This means once it appears it is there to stay. Folks with diabetes require close monitoring and treatment to get their blood sugars to normal levels (or to as near normal as is possible). Doing this will make you feel better and will greatly reduces your risk of developing any diabetes complications.
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that appears for the first time during a pregnancy. This type of diabetes usually disappears after pregnancy but may return again in subsequent pregnancies or later in life as type 2 diabetes.