About Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes, also referred to as diabetes mellitus, is a condition that involves impaired metabolism and high levels of blood sugar. This disease occurs when little or no insulin is produced in your body, or when your cells do not respond adequately to the amount of insulin produced. Diabetes mellitus testing is important to detect the condition and treat it properly.

What causes diabetes?
Sugars are sources of energy for your cells and your body in general. When you consume carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose (a simple sugar), which is used to nourish the cells throughout your body, and a number of other substances.
 
Pancreas (a special gland near your liver and stomach) plays a key role in the metabolism of sugars. Pancreas produces enzymes that travel all the way to the small intestine and assist in digesting fats, carbohydrates and proteins, and it also secretes hormones responsible for the regulation of nutrients and sugars disposal. These hormones are produced by very small clusters of cells located in the pancreas and called “the islets of Langerhans.” These clusters contain alpha cells that produce glucagon and beta cells (responsible for insulin secretion).Both these hormones are very important for the proper functioning of your body, but their effects are very different.

When you have a meal, beta cells produce certain amounts of insulin in response to the blood sugar levels that go up. Its purpose is to prevent blood sugar from rising dramatically, and some part of it is sent to the muscle cells and liver. The uptake of amino acids and fatty acids is also increased into fat and protein stores because of the secretion of insulin. Amino acids are responsible for building up proteins, and fatty acids are the building blocks of fat. Therefore, insulin plays an important role in metabolism.

The glucose, which the body doesn’t need at the moment, is transformed into glycogen. When your blood glucose level is low, glucagon is released by the pancreas (glucagon is responsible for converting previously stored glycogen into glucose) into the blood, increasing the sugar level. It’s especially important as the functioning of some organs (the kidneys and the brain) depends on the level of glucose. Therefore, pancreas helps keep your most important organs functioning properly.

So, normally insulin acts to prevent the levels of blood sugar from rising dramatically. Before you have breakfast, your normal blood sugar level is between 70 and 110 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The sugar level rarely exceeds 180 mg/dL even after a meal.

There are two types of diabetes: type 1 (when not enough insulin is produced to keep the sugar level under control) and type 2 (when insulin produced by the pancreas causes inappropriate response of the cells), although some patients experience the symptoms of both types. This is dangerous as in patients with diabetes, glucose is unable to reach the cells,  and as the cells don’t get the nutrients required, this can harm the organs that are exposed to high levels of glucose.

There is no cure for diabetes, but if it is not treated properly, serious health problems are very likely. These may include blindness, kidney failure and amputation. The presence of diabetes also puts you at a higher risk of having heart attack or stroke, and developing cardiovascular disease.
 
There are over 18 million of US citizens suffering from diabetes, which means one person out of 15 is affected. There are also millions of people who are at risk of developing diabetes, so this number is likely to grow. Diabetes testing reveals that the disease is “getting younger,” i.e., it affects people of younger age.
 
If diabetes screening shows the presence of the disease, it means a whole new way of life for the person affected. Everything needs to be carefully planned, including a meal or a morning run. It’s impossible to prevent diabetes as you never know whether it will occur in you, and living with it takes a lot of discipline and effort.
There are many things a diabetes patient needs to think about: from keeping their sugar levels normal to avoiding possible complications. The complications that can develop are usually long-term, and include blindness, kidney failure, amputation, increased risk of heart attacks and stroke.

Every person that becomes a diabetes patient is clearly scared and overwhelmed. They need all the support their friends and families are able to provide. Changing the lifestyle and habits may take a lot of courage, so people with diabetes will surely need qualified help and consultation.

However, a lot is known about diabetes, and although it cannot be cured, its treatment is worth all the effort. Blood sugar control is the key element of this treatment, and it can help slow down and sometimes prevent the disease from progressing, as well as avoid the long-term complications. It’s possible to keep diabetes mellitus under control with the help of diabetes treatments and screening, as well as diabetes supplies, which can be used without the assistance of medical personnel.

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