Diabetes Basics

Diabetes is a disorder of the body wherein it produces enough insulin to regulate the breakdown of the blood sugar in the human body. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreatic cells called beta cells. It helps in the breakdown of complex sugars into glucose which can be readily absorbed by the cells of the human body for energy generation.

Diabetes is normally categorized in two main and one subcategory– Type I, Type II diabetes and Gestational diabetes. Both Type I and II are chronic in nature (they cannot be cured but can only be treated) and Gestational diabetes is normally a passing phase which occurs during pregnancy and ends after the mother gives birth to the child. But, it has more serious effect on the child later on.

Type I diabetes is the most serious type of diabetes and is also called Juvenile diabetes. It occurs when the human body's autoimmune system does not produce enough insulin to combat the foreign bodies entering the bloodstream. It is caused by genetic and environmental factors and affects 2 to 3 % of the diabetic population.

Type II diabetes is also called adult onset or non-insulin dependent diabetes and is less serious of the two. It starts occurring when most of the muscles and other organs of the body stop utilizing Insulin to breakdown sugar. It is caused by obesity and environmental factors and almost 95 % of the diabetic population suffers from it.

Gestational diabetes only occurs in a small part of females during gestation (the time of giving birth). Though its a temporary condition which mostly disappears after the pregnancy, the fetus has high chances of having Type I diabetes later on. It affects 2 to 3 % of the diabetic population. But, the kids born to diabetic parents have 20 to 25 % chances of having diabetes later-on in life.