What is Diabetes? Will I Need Insulin?

 

Located in the pancreas are some special cells called the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. These are the cells that produce insulin.

 

In a non-diabetic person, the beta cells secrete insulin when blood sugar rises, and when the blood sugar level drops the production of insulin stops.

Diabetes causes a disruption in the way the body uses glucose. The beta cells of a type 1 diabetic produce little or no insulin causing blood sugar to rise to a dangerous level.

 

Most people with diabetes have type 2. In fact, roughly 90 percent of the 17 million diabetics in the US are type 2. In type 2 diabetes, insulin production may be normal but the body does not respond to it. Glucose cannot be used optimally, leading to high blood sugar levels.

 

A person with glucose intolerance has blood sugar levels somewhere between those of a normal person and a diabetic person. Testing blood sugar levels is critical. Meters make managing diabetes easier.

 

This section is divided into multiple articles covering:

• Diabetes Symptoms
• Diabetes Causes
• Type 1 or Type 2?
• Impaired Glucose Tolerance
• Diabetes Risk Factors
• Diabetes Management
• Islet Cell Transplant
• Diabetic Complications
• Diabetic Cure.

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