What Causes Diabetes?
Understanding diabetes would require you to understand how glucose and insulin are produced and managed in our body.
Glucose — a sugar — is a wellspring of vitality for the cells that make up the muscles and the various tissues. Glucose originates from two sources: food you eat and your liver. Sugar is ingested into the circulation system, where it enters cells with the assistance of insulin.
Your liver stores and makes glucose. Glucose is stored in our bodies in the form of glycogen. At the point when your glucose levels are low, for example, when you have not eaten in a while, the liver separates & converts glycogen into glucose to keep your glucose level within an optimal range.
Causes of Type 1 Diabetes
In Type 1 diabetes, the body stops making insulin and attacks its own immune system and destroys the cells where insulin is produced. The cause of this phenomenon is slightly unclear; however, it may involve genetic risk factors and environmental factors. Under the guidance of medical experts, the people with Type 1 diabetes should take insulin every day to live a healthy and normal life.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
It is believed that genetic and environmental factors play a major role in the development of Type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is firmly linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, but not everyone with Type 2 diabetes is overweight. Various elements have been connected to the onset of Type 2 diabetes in grown-ups. These factors comprise of at least one of the following:
- Excessive body weight
- A family history of diabetes
- A background of gestational diabetes: During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones to nurture your pregnancy. These hormones make the cells more immune to insulin. Normally, the pancreas counters by producing rather extra insulin to overcome the resistance. But sometimes the pancreas cannot keep up. During this phenomenon, very small amount of glucose gets into your cells and too much stays in your blood, resulting in gestational diabetes.
- Race/ethnicity: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, local Americans, and some Asian Americans and local Hawaiians or other Pacific Islander Americans are at an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
- Old age
- Obstruction in glucose digestion system
Conclusion
As we have seen, there are multiple causes of diabetes. It manifests in different types too. Basically, it is the imbalance in glucose/insulin production and storage that results in the onset of diabetes. Diabetes can be tackled to a large extent through certain lifestyle changes and regular but simple medication.
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What Can Go Wrong If Diabetes Goes Undetected?
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information.