Could somebody please help me I need to know about diabetes inside are some questions I would like answering?
hey!
I would like to know about the two types of diabetes, how the body controls diabetes, what causes it/ what is it, how our body controls sugar levels what organs are to do with diabetes, how and I would also like equations included (I like to be in the know :p) and I heard some stuff about enzymes having something to do with it. I have checked on the net but do not understand it very well so I would please, please, PLEASE like a detailed answer I was a little scared and first of becoming her friend because I thought she would faint or something but I would like to know more about the condition as my grandfather also suffers from it I I don’t want to be ignorant. I would like a very detailed answers please answering all of the above.
MANY THANKS,
StArZ!!!!*****=D :^-]
XXXXXX
c’mon guys I need to know this for tomorrow. PLEASEE more answers.
thanks =]
Type 1 diabetes mainly occurs in young people, and is caused partly by genetics. It is thought to often be triggered by a virus which for no known reason causes the body to attack the insulin producing islet cells in the pancreas. Type 1 diabetics produce no insulin, so the illness develops very quickly, and it can be very dangerous if not caught quickly. Type 1 diabetics always use insulin , often injecting 4 or more times a day.
Type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed in the obese, but is also influenced by genetics, race, age, etc. It develops far more slowly than Type 1, as Type 2 diabetics still produce some insulin. Type 2 diabetics often start out managing their condition with only diet and exercise, and after several years some may start taking medication. Some Type 2 diabetics will eventually start on insulin injections.
Both types have to monitor their blood glucose levels several times a day, and are at risk for many complications if their illness is not managed properly.
Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas that controls blood sugar – without it, glucose remains in the blood and is not used for energy. This causes extreme fatigue and is very dangerous, as it causes ketones to be released, which can lead to a condition called ketoacidosis.
As for how our body controls blood sugar levels – basically, if you eat a lot, the pancreas produces a lot of insulin. If you don’t eat much, it’ll produce less. Eating too much can cause insulin resistance or overwork the pancreas, causing Type 2. Diabetics, Type 1 in particular, have to replace this function of the pancreas with artificial insulin. It can be very hard to do a complex organ’s job right, but that’s basically what insulin treatment is. Every carb, every injection, every eventuality must be planned for – if you want to go for a jog, you can’t just DO it, you must make sure your blood sugars are at a high enough level – exercise can cause them to plummet.
Don’t worry about your friend, she likely know what she’s doing, and it’s unlikely she will faint! But good on you for trying to understand her condition.
The response from Ann Oneymus is a pretty good description of the different types of diabetes, though she did make one small error. It’s not that glucose remains in the blood which causes ketones, but because your body can’t access that glucose that starts the ‘problem’.
When your body can’t utilise [utilize] glucose, it is ‘starving’ as this is what your body needs to survive. To combat this it begins to break down fat and muscle tissues. It’s this that causes ketones to develop. Prolonged development of ketones results in the blood becoming acidic. This is ketoacidosis. Th normal treatment for ketoacidosis is insulin injections … usually in a hospital setting, as the amount of insulin required puts the body in the position of ‘swinging’ too much in the opposite direction, resulting in a hypoglycaemic [hypoglycemic] attack.
There is actually a third common type of diabetes mellitus, called gestational diabetes, which only affects pregnant women. Luckily, in most cases, this tends to pass once the pregnancy is over. (There are more, lesser known, types of diabetes mellitus, but these are the three variants that are often talked about. Diabetes mellitus is the full name for the condition, and is a totally different condition to one that’s called diabetes insipidus, that’s why it pays to ensure you use the full name so it avoids confusion.)
As for how your body controls sugar levels, this is predominantly taken care of by the pancreas.
When you eat food, a signal is sent to the pancreas to start producing insulin. This is taken care of by the beta cells (islets of Langerhans).
Insulin allows the glucose, a simple sugar, obtained from the breakdown of carbohydrates and starches, to be taken into the muscles where it is used to make energy. It’s this that keeps us alive. (Glucose is also the predominant ‘food source’ for the brain.)
When blood glucose (sugar) levels begin to fall, and after they reach a ‘normal’ level that the body needs to thrive on, the alpha cells of the pancreas produce another hormone, called glucagon, to be released. Glucagon stimulates the liver to release some of it’s store of glycogen … the way it stores glucose … to bring the body back into that ‘normal’ range.
As you can see, this is a fine balancing act that the pancreas must keep.
I’m afraid I can’t make diagrams or equations on here, but if you try to grasp the simple concept that if food is taken in then glucose levels rise, resulting in the release of insulin. When blood glucose (sugar) levels fall, glucagon is released, then I think you’ll be able to devise such a diagram/equation.
As Ann Oneymus states, the chances of your friend fainting are remote … unless she has had uncontrolled diabetes for some time, and has developed complications from it.
Best of luck to you … and your friend.