The History & Discovery of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which an individual develops either low glucose levels (hypoglycemia) or high glucose levels (hyperglycemia) as a result of insufficient insulin in the body or improper response to insulin by body cells. Insulin, a hormone in the body produced by the pancreas, enables body cells to convert glucose into glycogen which can be stored in excess in the body without harmful effects. Individuals with extremely high glucose levels will sometimes have "sweet" or "fruity" breath and may go in and out of consciousness. If this occurs, seek medical attention immediately by calling 911. This disease can be deadly if not treated and regulated by diet and medications.

Discovery of Diabetes

• The history and discovery of diabetes dates back over 2000 years. A Greek physician by the name of Aretoeus gave the disease its name "diabetes" which in Greek means "siphon." This name was due to the frequent urination associated with the disease. Diabetes was first documented to medical text in 1425. In 1675, the name "mellitus" which means "honey" in Latin was added to the name by Dr. Thomas Willis. This addition was inspired by sampling the sweet taste of the urine from a patient suffering from this condition.

Symptoms of Diabetes

• The most typical symptoms of diabetes include a state of increased thirst (poludipsia), a state of frequent urination (polyuria) and a state of increased hunger (polyphagia). The more advanced stages of diabetes can be diagnosed by measuring the blood sugar level of the body which is usually abnormally high. Additional symptoms of diabetes are unusual weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, abdominal pain, and tingling or numbness in hands and feet.

Types of Diabetes

• Roger Hinsworth discovered two types of diabetes in 1935, but we now know several types of diabetes, and they include the following:

  Type 1 Diabetes is the most common type found in children, and formally known as juvenile diabetes. The body does not produce insulin forcing individuals to become insulin dependent. These individual tend to have extremely high glucose levels. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes overall, and individuals very seldom show symptoms of the disease. Glucose levels can run high or low. Gestational Diabetes occurs during pregnancy. Around the 28th week of pregnancy a woman's glucose levels can become high, but occurs in about 4 percent of all pregnancies. It usually improves or disappears completely after childbirth. However, if not monitored, it could cause harmful effects to the baby. Pre-diabetes is a state of an abnormally high glucose levels. However, it is not high enough to diagnose type 2 diabetes. This is a very rare form of diabetes.

Discovery of Insulin

• A surgeon, Frederick Banting, and his assistant Charles Best from Ontario, Canada are known for the discovery of insulin in 1921. In an attempt to help a severely diabetic dog, they injected the animal with a canine pancreatic extract, keeping the dog alive for 70 days. Colleagues of Dr. Banting, Dr. Collip and Dr. Macleod, assisted Banting and Best in refining the insulin extract. The refined extract was later used in a young boy names Leonard Thompson who was dying of diabetes. This in turn saved the boy's life, and word quickly spread about the benefits of using insulin.

Moving Forward

• Since the discovery and successful refinement of insulin approximately 90 years ago, the research for a better treatment for diabetes and perhaps a cure has been ongoing. Progress for better treatment of diabetes is constantly moving forward with the discovery of the glucose meter in 1969 by Dr. Richard Berstein with Ames Diagnostics to the insulin pump that was created in 1979. The insulin pump gives an individual a continuous dose of insulin, mimicking the body's normal pancreatic process.

Normal Glucose Levels and Testing

• People with diabetes must always monitor their glucose levels. Today, this is easily done from home with a machine called a glucose meter or glucometer. Each glucometer is different, but comes with simple instructions on how to use the machine. Glucometers are improving all the time, and most of them can give you results in a matter of seconds. Normal fasting glucose levels should be between 70 and 130, but should be below 180 if you have recently eaten. The best way to monitor your glucose is to check your sugar in the morning when you wake, two hours after meals and right before bed. Keep a log to track your glucose levels to give you a more accurate, normal level of your individual glucose readings.