Diabetes Paper

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. This Metabolic disorder causes the body to lose its main source of fuel considering that the blood contains large amounts of glucose (since diabetic people are usually obese people or people who have large contents of glucose in their bodies). After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by the human cells for growth and energy.

In order for glucose to get into cells, a hormone called insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy (glucose), this substance is essential for a human being’s continued existence. Upon food consumption, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move and synthesize glucose from the blood into the human cells.

However, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin for people affected with diabetes, the cells in these cases do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine. This causes the glucose to be discharged out of the human body in the form of urine. This is basically a metabolism disorder – the problem lies with how the food is digested by the human body ingesting it (National Diabetes Clearing House).

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There are 2 main types of Diabetes; the first being known as “Insulin dependent diabetes” or what is now being termed as “Type 1 diabetes”, and the second type known as “Non- insulin dependent diabetes” also known as “Type 2 diabetes”. II. Type 1 Diabetes (Insulin Dependent Diabetes) Type 1 Diabetes (Insulin-dependent diabetes) is a disorder best characterized with the occurrence of frequent urination, extreme thirst, constant hunger, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue on the part of the subject.

This strain unlike the type 2 diabetes strain is most prevalent in young individuals, who usually contract this disease around the age of 14. Type 2 diabetes is in contrast acquired during the latter stages of an individuals life probably due to an unhealthy lifestyle. The Insulin dependent diabetes strain -- accounts only for approximately 5 percent or less of diabetes in the U. S. (Armstrong, C. 1990). People affected with Type 1 Diabetes like others affected with other diabetes strains, have defective pancreas glands.

These glands are supposed to be the ones which secretes the insulin hormone. The insulin hormone is the hormone which facilitates the conversion of Glucose to a form which allows for assimilation by the human cells. Since the pancreas releases a very limited amount of insulin (in some cases none at all) the glucose which is not assimilated is diverted to the bloodstream to be excreted by the kidneys in the form of urine. It is on this stage that the kidneys, would be forced to try to remove the excess sugar, excreting large amounts of water and essential body elements in the process.

Kidney failure, and Heart problems are among those complications which may arise from the said illness. Modern Science has allowed type 1 diabetes victims another lease on life when alternative medical solutions were developed. As of the moment the only cure available today for type 1 diabetes is a pancreas transplant, which is needless to say quite dangerous, expensive and very rarely done. However, even if the said transplant was a success (new pancreas is rejected by half of the people who get this operation), the organ which was transplanted, incur a very high risk of being rejected by the subject’s body.

If rejection occurs (as in most cases) this would entail constant usage of suppression drugs to maintain immune reaction suppression. The side effects of immune-suppressive drugs can be very severe and even worse than the disease. Statistics show that one or two people out of every 10 who get the surgery die within a year. Of course it follows that if the surgery fails the disease would eventually return. Recently, experimental treatments with stem cells have shown some promise. For most people, type 1 diabetes is a life-long disease that can be effectively managed with insulin.

Margolis S. 2006. ) II. Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes The Non-insulin dependent diabetes strain also known as type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Some complications of type 2 diabetes would include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). The main difference between the first and second strain of diabetes is that the first one occurs in the early phases of an individuals life, while the latter occurs usually in the later stages.

This type of diabetes is preventable but un-curable unlike the first type. It is a possibility for a human being to actually be affected with this kind of disease without actually knowing it. Scientists nowadays are still looking into the factors which may have caused insulin resistance. Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yet to be unearthed. In the case of Type 2 diabetes, the problem would either be caused by the fact that the body does not produce enough insulin or it may be that the cells ignore the insulin.

It was found out by common observation and research that the frequency of occurrence of this disease usually occurs among obese or overweight individuals. It is a known fact that most people who develop this type of diabetes are overweight. Scientists are still looking for a clue as to why obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, but the common consensus agreed upon is that obesity is a major factor leading to non-insulin-dependent diabetes.

Scientists are continually studying cells to see why this might happen (What Causes Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes? . The usual symptoms to identify whether if an individual is affected or not would be the Increased thirst and frequent urination, Extreme hunger, Rapid weight loss, Fatigue, Blurred vision, Slow healing sores or frequent infections, and in some cases Patches of dark velvety skin in the folds and creases of Subject’s bodies — usually in the armpits and neck. This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, is a sign of insulin resistance (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007).

In this particular strain of diabetes the only possible action which could be done is prevention, since as mentioned earlier there is no known cure to this chronic disease. To combat the effects of this disease, the advisable things to do would be to watch or monitor the level of blood glucose, proper exercise, good eating habits, and occasional insulin dosages. Apparently the said measure is capable of reducing the risk and dangers brought about by complication of this disease to about 50% (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007). III. Conclusion

Diabetes is a chronic disease which still baffles even the most learned of physicians since as far as technology is concerned, the immediate, reliable and consistent cure is yet to be had. As far as affected individuals are concerned the best cure is still prevention, and this could be done by living a healthy lifestyle (eating healthy food and proper exercise), and by taking necessary medication. The hope that the cure is on the verge of being discovered still looms on the horizon. Hopefully, the said cure would be found soon to relieve the millions suffering worldwide.

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