Diabetes Basics
Here Are All The Types Of Diabetes
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.