What is Diabetes?

        Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder in which the body's capacity to utilize glucose, fat and protein is disturbed due to insulin deficiency and/or insulin resistance. In people with diabetes there is insufficient insulin activity in the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by beta cells of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

Action of Insulin on the food

        Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose and other simple sugars. Glucose gets absorbed into the blood stream which enters into the cells and is used for energy. As the blood glucose rises, insulin is released from the pancreas. Cells have receptor sites on the outside. When insulin attaches to the receptor sites, a passage is made and glucose enters into the cell. This insulin regulates the blood glucose level.

  When there is insulin deficiency, glucose cannot enter into the cells and remain in the blood which leads to high blood sugar levels.

Normal Blood Glucose Levels

• Fasting   80 – 120 mg/dl
• Post Prandial   120 – 160 mg/dl

Insulin deficiency may be relative or absolute and may be due to

• Insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas.
• Sufficient production of insulin but non-release into the blood stream.
• Increased demand of insulin by the body tissues.
• Destruction / Inactivation of insulin by enzymes and other factors produced by the liver and endocrine glands such as pituitary gland, adrenal cortex thyroid etc.

Symptoms of Diabetes

• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
• Frequent urination
• Weight loss
• Weakness and tiredness
• Delayed wound healing
• Numbness in hands and feet
• Blurred vision
• Itching in genitals

Risk Factors for Diabetes

• Individual with positive family history of diabetes
• Over weight individuals
• Person who has high blood pressure or hyperlipidemia
• Those with previous bad obstetric history
• Recurrent abortions
• Still birth
• Congenital malformation
• Big baby (over 3.5 kg at birth)
• Those under mental stress
• Physically inactive people (sedentary jobs)