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Information On Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes - What Is It?

Type 2 Diabetes  is one form of a disease that happens when blood glucose levels go above normal and stay there. Diabetes in general occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin. The body cells require insulin to break down glucose into energy. Without enough insulin, the body’s glucose levels begin to rise. That can lead to long-term damage to the muscles and nerves all over the body. There are usually two ways that Diabetes  can develop. The first is when the pancreas stops producing insulin. Patients with this form have Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes. Most people with this form of diabetes develop it in childhood or as young adults.

The second way diabetes form is when the cells of the body begin needing more and more insulin in order to convert glucose to energy. This condition, insulin resistance, can worsen over time. Over time, the pancreas reaches a point where it cannot produce enough insulin for the body. That causes glucose levels to rise. Patients with this form have Type 2 Diabetes, or adult onset. People with this form of diabetes  develop it at any age from childhood through senior years. Diabetes can form in a third way as well. Some pregnant women cannot produce enough insulin as they get into the final months of pregnancy. Their blood glucose levels begin to rise. Patients with this form have gestational diabetes. This form usually disappears after the birth.

Type 2 Diabetes  is the most common form of diabetes. Who is vulnerable to getting this disease? It happens in many populations including African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. It is more prevalent as people begin to age. Those who are overweight can also be susceptible to the disease. Anyone in the general population can develop Type 2 under the right circumstances. It is a growing problem and health threat in the United States and in the Western World.

What does Type 2 Diabetes cost the United States every year? As of 2007, over 23 million people of all ages had diabetes  in one form or the other. That is 7.8% of the total population. Every year over 1.5 million people get a new diagnosis for diabetes. In 2005, diabetes directly caused or contributed to the deaths of over 233,000 people in the country. When everything factors in, it costs over $200 billion each year in medical and non-medical costs.

Type 2 Diabetes Symptom

Type 2 Diabetes – Symptoms

The symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes  often do not appear for years. They build gradually and don’t become apparent until they reach critical levels. If you have a family history of Diabetes or are severely overweight, be on the lookout for these symptoms. The first one to consider is frequent urination and increased thirst. Your body automatically flushes the excess glucose out through the urine. As the glucose builds, the kidneys increase the amounts of urine to keep up. Urination requires fluids. The kidneys begin drawing on the body cells to keep the fluid levels up. This causes the increased thirst and the increased urges to urinate.

Another symptom set of Type 2 diabetes is increased hunger and unexplained weight loss. Glucose is a major energy source cells use. They use insulin to convert the glucose into energy. With cells not converting the glucose efficiently, the cells call for more energy in the form of food. This triggers the increased hunger needs. Now, on the other hand, no matter how much extra you eat, your body’s cells are not getting the energy and nutrients they need. That triggers them to look elsewhere for energy. They begin to draw on the body’s stored fat for energy. They also can draw on the muscle cells. This begins an unexplained drop in weight.

As the body begins to deal with the excess glucose and lost energy, it begins to affect other parts of the body. With Type 2 diabetes , common symptoms include fatigue, blurred vision, sores that heal slowly, and more infections than normal. As the cells fight to get energy, it causes a person to feel depleted and tired. As the kidneys draw on the body’s fluids for urination, it depletes the amount of fluids in the eyes. This can lead to blurry vision. The fight for energy makes the body’s immune system begin to diminish. A small sore can take weeks to heal due to the depressed immunity. It also lets small common infections get out of control.

A common symptom that type 2 Diabetes patients report are velvety dark skin patches in the folds of the body under the arm, in the groin area and around the neck. These patches go by the name of acanthosis nigricans. It is actually a marker to physicians that something may be wrong in the body. Keep your eye out for these symptoms to catch the disease before it becomes critical.

Type 2 Diabetes Info

Type 2 Diabetes   – Causes

Dealing with Type 2 diabetes means you need to understand the underlying causes. With a healthy system, the body turns food into glucose and sends it to the body’s cells. The body’s cells use this glucose as energy. However, in order for the cells to convert the glucose to energy, they need insulin. The pancreas releases insulin as needed. The insulin travels to the cells and there it helps convert glucose into energy the cells can use. That is how everything should work.

In those that have Type 2 diabetes, something is not working properly. The cells of the body begin needing more and more insulin to convert the same amount of glucose. This condition goes by the name of insulin resistance. For a short while, the pancreas increase production to keep up with the increased demand. However, at some point, the pancreas cannot keep up the pace. That is when the glucose levels begin to rise in the blood  stream. After awhile, the body cannot deal with the elevated glucose levels.

Now, what causes the insulin resistance that leads to Type 2 diabetes? The most prevalent causes are obesity and lack of physical activity. In fact, it is the reason for over 90% of new cases diagnosed every year. Recent research may have uncovered one reason why obese people have such a high prevalence of the disease. In studies with mice, researchers found a new hormone produced by fat cells. They dubbed this new hormone, resistin. In mice that were obese, the amount of resistin in the blood   rose dramatically. In mice that were not, the amounts were far lower. Resistin appears to increase the body’s cells resistance to insulin. Why or how this happens is currently unknown. Research is ongoing at this point.

Genetics definitely play a role in Type 2 Diabetes, however. Children with parents that have it are very likely to develop it themselves. With the right Diet and exercise, most can avoid the consequences of the disease even if they have a genetic predisposition towards the disease. What are some other causes? Aging is another risk factor for developing the disease. Those over 45 have an increasing risk. Those over 65 have a significant risk of the disease. Other links to those developing this form of diabetes include a history of gestational diabetes, polycystic ovary disease, or vascular disease. Having knowledge is the first step to successfully managing and treating this disease.