Insulin is a hormone. It acts as a key transporting glucose from the blood stream to the muscles and converting it into energy. Without the key the glucose in the blood stream rises and is sent through the
kidneys into the urine, causing frequent passage of urine and increased thirst. Muscles begin to break down fat, causing weight loss and sickness.
When this happens in children and young people it is not long before they notice that:
- They pass urine very frequently (especially at night)
- They are very thirsty
- They lose weight
- They become very tired and unwell.
In young people the pancreas has usually stopped producing any insulin at all. It is not possible to swallow or digest insulin and it can only be given as an injection. This type of diabetes is called Type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes develops in these people only when something triggers the immune system to start damaging the pancreas. These triggers are believed to be factors in the environment, but are still not well understood.
In adults, the pancreas may still be producing some insulin.
When this happens, people can take tablets which help the body to produce more insulin or use their insulin better. This type of diabetes is called Type 2 diabetes.
Treatment
Type 1 diabetes is a condition which is managed by insulin injections, diet and exercise.
Most people have at least four injections of insulin each day and are careful about what they eat. It is a low sugar, low fat, high fibre diet, the same as everyone else should be eating.
It is not a special diet. People with diabetes do not need to eat special food or buy expensive diabetic products.
Testing
People can see how effective their treatment is by testing their blood glucose themselves. It is important that you keep a record of your blood glucose levels so that you can see how well your treatment and diet are working, or whether exercise has affected your results.
It is important that you record all your blood results in a diary.
If too much glucose circulates in the blood stream, it can cause illness and complications. That is why everyone with diabetes must attend clinics regularly for their check-ups.
Research tells us that by keeping blood sugar levels as near normal as possible anyone with diabetes can reduce their risk of developing complications.
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