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What Is Diabetes II?

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas. Diabetes type II is one of three main types of the disease. Originally known as adult onset diabetes, it was renamed when it was discovered that it can also occur in children.

  1. The Mechanics of Insulin

    • The pancreas secretes insulin, a hormone that helps regulate the levels of glucose (a simple sugar) in the blood, by acting as a vehicle to deliver glucose to the cells so that they can use it for energy or storage for later use.

    Diagnosis

    • In type II diabetes, the pancreas may not produce enough insulin, or the cells may be resistance to the effects of insulin. This defect leads to abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood. Diabetes is diagnosed when blood sugar levels after overnight fasting are above 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).

    Symptoms

    • Many symptoms precede the onset of type II diabetes, with excessive thirst and urination the most common occurrences. Weight loss usually follows this cycle, as excess sugar calories are expelled through urine. Other symptoms include blurred vision, drowsiness, nausea, tingling sensations in the feet and an inability to concentrate.

    Risk Factors and Consequences

    • Obesity from poor eating habits and lack of exercise is perhaps the biggest risk factor that leads to type II diabetes. Heredity can also play a part, within certain racial and cultural groups as well as within families. Type II diabetes can result in damage to virtually every organ in the body. Some of the worst consequences include blindness, neuropathy leading to amputation, heart and kidney disease, and stroke.

    Management

    • Treatment for type II diabetes includes insulin therapy, a low-carbohydrate diet and exercise, as well as taking medication prescribed by your doctor to regulate blood pressure, cholesterol levels and kidney function. As it is a chronic disease, it must be carefully monitored throughout the lifetime.

    Long-Term

    • Diabetes is an incurable, chronic disease that has devastating effects upon the body if not controlled. Maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a nutritious high-fiber diet and getting regular exercise can keep the effects of the disease at bay.

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