Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects many people. Hence, it’s important to know about this disease and what it entails.
In this article, we’ll explore everything that you need to know about this condition. From what diabetes is and what causes it to how diabetes is diagnosed and treated, here is our complete guide to all things diabetes.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition that impacts how the body is able to convert food into energy. Most of the food that you consume is broken down into a type of sugar called glucose, and that glucose is then released into the bloodstream where it is sent to cells to be converted into energy. Key to this process is a hormone called insulin, which is released by the pancreas and serves as a sort of key to let glucose into cells. In a healthy person, the pancreas begins releasing insulin when blood sugar levels go up. Someone with diabetes, though, either can’t make enough insulin or is unable to effectively use the insulin that they do make. This results in too much sugar staying in the bloodstream and can lead to a number of health problems and complications. Potential complications of untreated diabetes include:
- Eye problems such as diabetic retinopathy
- Sores and cuts that won’t heal
- Damaged blood vessels leading to heart attack and stroke
- Gum disease and other mouth proble ms
- Nerve damage
- Increased cancer risk
- Sexual issues in both men and women due to reduced blood flow to the genitals
If left untreated, diabetes can also lead to a potentially life-threatening complication known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). This condition occurs when cells are starved for energy due to a lack of insulin and begin breaking down fat to produce it. This process produces toxic acids called ketones that can cause a coma or death.
What is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes cause a person to either produce too little insulin or not make effective use of the insulin they do produce. The key distinction between the two conditions, therefore, isn’t the problems that they cause but rather what causes the condition itself. Type 1 diabetes is a genetic disorder that typically shows up early in life. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, limiting insulin production. Type 2 diabetes, meanwhile, is largely caused by dietary and lifestyle choices and develops over time. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is unable to keep up with high blood sugar levels caused by poor diet and lack of exercise. Some people with type 2 diabetes also develop insulin resistance, causing the body not to recognize the insulin that the pancreas produces.
It’s also worth mentioning gestational diabetes, which is a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and typically goes away once the baby is born. However, women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
In the United States, type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1; type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5-10% of diabetes cases in the USA, while type 2 diabetes makes up the other 90-95%.
How is Diabetes Diagnosed?
Blood tests are used to test for diabetes by testing the amount of sugar in the blood. There are different types of blood tests used to diagnose diabetes, but all of them work by testing blood sugar levels. If your blood sugar is higher than the range that is healthy for you, then you will be diagnosed with diabetes. If your physician suspects that you may have type 1 diabetes, they may decide to perform a urine test to look for the presence of ketones. They may also run a test for autoantibodies – the destructive immune system cells that are associated with type 1 diabetes.
Who Should Get Tested for Diabetes?
The American Diabetes Association recommends that the following people should be tested for diabetes:
- Anyone over the age of 35 is advised to undergo an initial diabetes screening. If blood sugar levels are normal, they should be screened once every three years afterward.
- Anyone with a body mass index (BMI) over 25 (23 for Asian Americans) who also has additional risk factors such as high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, an inactive lifestyle, non-typical cholesterol levels, a history of heart disease, or a history of polycystic ovary syndrome.
- Women who have had gestational diabetes are advised to undergo screening once every three years.
- Anyone who has been diagnosed with prediabetes is advised to undergo screening once a year.
- Anyone who has HIV is advised to undergo an initial diabetes screening.
How is Diabetes Treated?
Treatments for diabetes vary based on whether it is type 1 or type 2 diabetes but involve medication and lifestyle changes in both cases. Someone who has type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin regularly for the rest of their lives. Those with type 2 diabetes are often able to manage their condition with oral medications and lifestyle changes but may eventually be required to take insulin as well.
Today, there are many different options for treating diabetes, including a wide range of injected and oral medications and different types of insulin. If you are diagnosed with diabetes following diabetes testing, your physician will be able to help formulate a treatment plan that is ideal for you.
