What Is Diabetes?

What is diabetes mellitus?

We can talk about the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but lets first understand the similarities between them with a basic foundation of what diabetes is.

14.7% of US adults live with diabetes. Chances are high that if you are not diabetic, someone you love is. Here we have the common factors that are true for all diabetic patients:

• Metabolism dysfunction

• High glucose (sugar) levels in the blood due to impaired insulin release

• Highly treatable when patient is compliant with both medication and lifestyle changes

We can't have a discussion on diabetes without first understanding the role insulin plays in human metabolism.

When we eat, food is swallowed down into the stomach and intestines. There, nutrients and sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream. In normal digestion, the pancreas would then release insulin to bring that glucose into the cells of the body.

The pancreas

The pancreas is a small, but mighty little organ that acts as a gland. It sits just underneath and behind the stomach. It releases a hormone called insulin into the bloodstream.

If the pancreas is malfunctioning and completely stops secreting insulin, Type 1 diabetes exists.

Insulin

The hormone insulin is responsible for transporting sugar from the blood into the cell. If the insulin is overwhelmed by chronically high amounts of sugar in the blood, this can damage cells in the pancreas that are responsible for secreting insulin. This further causes less insulin to be released and more sugar to remain present in the blood, not able to enter the cells. This process is more closely related to Type 2 diabetes.

Sources

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, M., & Memon, Dr. N. (2024, December 13). Type 1 vs. type 2 diabetes differences: Which is worse?. MedicineNet. https://www.medicinenet.com/type_1_vs_type_2_diabetes_similarities_differences/article.htm