The precise cause of most types of diabetes is unknown. In all cases, however, sugar accumulates in the bloodstream due to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are physically inactive and overweight or obese.
Excess weight can lead to insulin resistance, which is a common occurrence in people with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the location of body fat can make a difference; having too much belly fat is linked to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and heart and blood vessel diseases. To determine if your weight puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes, consult body mass index (BMI) tables. Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which muscles, liver, and fat cells do not use insulin effectively.
As a result, the body needs more insulin to help glucose enter cells. Initially, the pancreas produces more insulin to meet the additional demand. Over time, however, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin and blood glucose levels increase. During pregnancy, hormones produced by the placenta contribute to insulin resistance, which occurs in all women late in their pregnancy.
Most pregnant women can produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance; however, some cannot. Gestational diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. As with type 2 diabetes, being overweight increases the risk of gestational diabetes. Women who are overweight or obese may already have insulin resistance when they become pregnant.
Additionally, gaining too much weight during pregnancy can be a factor. Some hormonal diseases cause the body to produce too much of certain hormones, which can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes.The real cause of diabetes is too much insulin, not too much blood sugar. In other words, high blood sugar is a symptom but not the main cause. The cause of diabetes - regardless of type - is that too much glucose circulates in the bloodstream.
However, the reason your blood glucose levels are high varies depending on the type of diabetes.Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Being overweight or obese also increases your risk; having too much fat in your abdomen makes cells more resistant to the effects of insulin on blood sugar. In the eyes, this means that the blood vessels in the retina (the area of the eye that provides vision) remain intact. If diabetes is not diagnosed and controlled (glucose levels that are too high or too low), it can cause devastating damage to the body.
If your blood glucose level remains high for an extended period of time, your body's tissues and organs can be severely damaged. Yes, it is possible to manage diabetes with medication; we'll briefly review the major classes of drugs available, how they work, and present some drugs in each class.
