Diabetes | Medical-Weight-Loss-Guide.com

There are two major types of diabetes: insipidus (DI) and mellitus (DM). DM is, by far, more common than DI, and they are two very different diseases. I won't go any further into DI. (Find You can find out more about DI here.) There are also multiple types of DM: DM Type 1, DM Type 2, MODY, and gestational DM.

To help understand diabetes, I will provide a brief overview of how our bodies normally control blood sugar. It is more involved, but here is the main idea. The key organ that regulates blood sugar (or glucose) is the pancreas. It has several functions including

the production of two hormones that regular blood sugar levels, insulin and glucagon.

Our bodies normally regulate blood sugar to its proper levels through the balance of insulin and glucagon. When this balance is disturbed or if our cells do not properly respond to these signals, then diabetes mellitus can result. DM Type 1 occurs because the cells in the pancreas that make insulin become damaged. This probably happens because an unknown virus tricks our bodies' immune systems into attacking these special types of cells. Also, people with DM Type 1 seem to have a genetic predilection to the disease. Since the pancreas cannot make enough insulin (or any at all), blood sugar goes up.

DM Type 2 is the form of diabetes that is associated with being overweight, and 80% of type 2 diabetics are obese. Multiple factors come into play to cause this disease, but there are two main aspects to its pathogenesis: 1.) The pancreas is unable to produce the proper amount of insulin and 2.) cells are unable to properly respond to insulin, becoming insulin resistant.

By eating a calorie excess over time and accumulating unnecessary energy stores, blood sugar levels are chronically driven up. At first, the pancreas is able to compensate and keep up with the need to produce extra insulin. Eventually, the cells in the pancreas begin to burn out and can no longer keep up with the demand for insulin. This is referred to as "glucose toxicity." Some diabetic drugs like exenatide tell the pancreas to make more insulin.

The pancreas burn out occurs later in the course of the disease. Earlier on, cells become less sensitive to insulin. As blood sugar levels run high and insulin is produced at higher levels, cells are constantly signaled by more and more insulin. Their ability to take up glucose also starts to burn out. This results in the pancreas making even more insulin to stimulate these cells, and a vicious cycle ensues. Drugs like metformin make cells more sensitive to insulin.

All of this results in constantly elevated blood sugar levels. These constant high levels produce a lot of adverse effects on the body. Some of the complications are: vision problems (including blindness), erectile dysfunction, peripheral nerve damage, darkening of the skin in certain areas, frequent infections, high cholesterol, kidney disease, and increased risk for heart attack and stroke.

Your doctor will need to perform tests on your blood sugar levels to diagnose diabetes. Even if blood sugar levels are elevated but not as high, you can be diagnosed with pre-diabetes or insulin resistance. Your doctor will also do an exam and run tests to look for complications associated with diabetes.

The earlier Type 2 DM or insulin resistance is detected, the better. Treatment is more effective and simpler in the early stages. Lifestyle changes that include diet, exercise, and striving for a healthy weight are the best treatments and can even cure the disease. For those who are unable to make the necessary lifestyle adjustments or are more advanced in the disease will need diabetic medicines. Pills can help control a good deal of blood glucose levels. If, however, diabetics are too far along, they may require daily injections of insulin.

The Medical Weight Loss Guide strives to empower you to live a healthier and happier life. By achieving and maintaining the proper BMI, Type 2 DM can almost certainly be avoided or even cured. It takes a desire to be healthy, self motivation, knowledge, and a willingness to work hard, but you can achieve these goals. We will not all be supermodels, but we can be healthy. If you or a loved one has diabetes, I encourage you to go through the resources listed in the box at the top of this page.

It is important you discuss any weight loss or exercise plan with your doctor. Only you and your physician can decide what is best for you. Some people have certain conditions that prevent them from doing all exercises, and goal body weights may be different for different people. You need to discuss all these things with your physician before starting any weight loss or exercise program.