Diabetes is a very common disease or disorder of metabolism. It is a complex group of diseases triggered by various causes. People with diabetes have high blood glucose, also known as high blood sugar or hyperglycemia. The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates or sugar and starches found in many foods into glucose, a form of sugar that enters the bloodstream. With the help of the hormone insulin the bodies absorbs glucose and utilizes it for producing energy. Diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or use insulin effectively. Insulin is made in the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. The Pancreas contains clusters of cells called islets; the beta cells within the islets make insulin and release it to the blood.
If the beta cells don’t produce enough insulin or the body is unable to respond to insulin that is present, the glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells in the body, leading to prediabetes or diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood glucose levels or A1C levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. In diabetes the body cells lack enough energy, even though the glucose levels are very high.
The increase in the blood sugar levels damages nerves and blood vessels. It also leads to complications like cardiovascular diseases, strokes, kidney problems, blindness, dental problems and amputations. High blood glucose levels also damage nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes can also lead to depression, fertility issues, and increased risk of other diseases and lack of mobility as the age of the person increases. It is very difficult to find out what exactly triggers diabetes, but health experts say that genes and environmental factors are responsible for rise in blood glucose levels.
There are two types of diabetes- Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. Let us study the causes that give rise to type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes is caused by lack of insulin due to the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. The Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease and it happens when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys beta cells. Generally, the immune system protects the body from harmful bacteria and virus. But in autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks the body’s own cells. The beta cell destruction may be a gradual process but the symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop over a short period of time. In the past, type 1 diabetes was referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in adults or LADA is a kind of developing type 1 diabetes. In this case, diagnosis occurs after 30 years of age. It happens because the body’s immune system destroys the beta cells. So the person will need insulin shots or pumps to control blood glucose levels.
Heredity plays an active role in determining who is likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Genes carry instructions for making proteins which are essential for the functioning of the body cells. Many genes and interactions among genes often increase or prevent a person from developing type 1 diabetes.
The key genes vary in different population groups; the variations in genes which affect more than 1 percent of a population group are called gene variants. Certain gene variants that carry instructions for making proteins are called human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) on white blood cells increases the chances of developing type 1 diabetes.
The HLA genes are major risk genes for type 1 diabetes, but other risk genes are also present. The HLA genes help in identifying people who are at risk for type 1 diabetes. These genes also provide important clues to help scientist understand how the disease develops and find out the right therapy and preventive measures. Genetic testing helps to detect what types of HLA genes a person carries and also reveal other genes linked to diabetes.
In Type 1 Diabetes the white blood cells or T cells attack and destroy beta cells in the pancreas.The process of destruction begins well before diabetes symptoms come to the surface and continues after diagnosis. Sometimes, type 1 diabetes is not diagnosed until most beta cells have already been destroyed. In this case, the person needs a daily insulin treatment to survive. Scientific research is still on to find out a way to stop the autoimmune process and preserve beta cell function. Sometimes, immune systems of the people who are susceptible to type 1 diabetes respond to insulin as a foreign substance or antigen. To combat the antigens, the beta cells produce antibodies.
PREV POST PAGE 1 2NEXT