What you should know about type I and II dibetes. Part I.

What is diabetes?

It is the name of a chronic disease that affects the way the body uses food to produce the energy necessary for life. Diabetes is primarily a failure of carbohydrate (sugar and starch) metabolism, which also affects fat and protein metabolism. There are several types of diabetes:

The most frequent are type I and type II. Regardless of the type of diabetes, physician-supervised metabolic control is essential to good health.

Type I diabetes mellitus

The pancreas does not produce insulin. Without insulin, sugar cannot enter the cells to be used for energy since insulin is a molecule that transports glucose from the outside to the inside of the cell. Body tissues become malnourished and blood glucose levels rise dangerously high.

10% of patients have type I diabetes and necessarily require insulin as treatment.

Type II diabetes mellitus

The pancreas retains some ability to secrete insulin, but this is insufficient. This type of diabetes most commonly develops in people over the age of 40. Most newly diagnosed patients are overweight, and many are able to control their diabetes through diet and exercise. Some require oral medications or insulin injections to achieve glucose control.

Classic symptoms of diabetes

Sudden weight loss, increased thirst, and increased urine output.

Other symptoms

Tiredness, increased hunger, tendency to infections, poor circulation of wounds, dry skin, frequent itching of the legs and feet. Tingling in the feet, sexual impotence, etc.

To be continue….