The pancreas is a small organ in your body that produces insulin, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. While glucose or blood sugar is a source of energy for the cells in your body, too much of it can result in severe problems such as nerve damage. High blood sugar levels are usually a result of a group of diseases called diabetes. Since this condition develops gradually, most patients experience no symptoms until their blood sugar is significantly elevated. Although there is no cure for diabetes, experts such as Kyle Scarborough MD help patients manage this condition and improve life quality.
What causes diabetes?
Diabetes develops when there is an increase in glucose levels in your blood. The causes vary depending on the type of diabetes you may have. Below are the causes of the different kinds of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
There is no established or known cause for type 1 diabetes, but it occurs when your immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas instead of fighting harmful bacteria. Therefore, you have little or no insulin in your body, which allows the build-up of sugar in your bloodstream. Environmental factors and genetic susceptibility are associated with type 1 diabetes, but the weight does not affect this health problem. It can develop at any age, but it occurs during childhood or puberty.
Pre-diabetes
You are said to have pre-diabetes when your glucose levels are higher than average but not elevated enough to be categorized as type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes, but not everyone will develop type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes causes the cells in your body to become resistant to insulin action, inhibiting the absorption of glucose in the cells. The pancreas secretes more insulin to overcome the resistance until it cannot produce enough insulin as a natural response. Since cells are unresponsive to insulin, sugar builds up in the bloodstream. The exact reason this happens remains uncertain, but type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity.
Gestational diabetes
The cells in your body can become resistant to insulin during pregnancy because of the placenta’s hormones. As a natural response, the pancreas makes more insulin until it cannot keep up. When there is little or no insulin secretion, glucose accumulates in your bloodstream instead of being absorbed by the cells.
What are the risk factors for diabetes?
The risk factors differ depending on the type of diabetes. For example, family history and environmental factors such as exposure to a viral illness make you more susceptible to type 1 diabetes. Your geographical location also determines your risk as some countries have higher rates of type 1 diabetes than others.
Type 2 diabetes is associated with several risk factors, such as physical inactivity and obesity. Older people are also at a higher risk, and family members with type 2 diabetes are also susceptible. The good news is you can take several measures such as making water your primary beverage and exercising to reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
If you want to learn about the management of diabetes, book for a consultation today with your doctor at Family Life Medical.