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What is Diabetes?

More and more people nowadays are at the risk of developing diabetes. If further steps are not taken to inhibit this disease, more than 5 million people will succumb to diabetes by the year 2025. Diabetes in more than 850,000 people go undiagnosed in the UK and with diabetes being the 5th most common disease in the world, it not such a shock. So what exactly it is?

Diabetes is a metabolic ailment that is the leading cause of high blood sugar or glucose. Diabetes inhibits your body’s ability to make insulin or is unable to utilise the insulin that it makes. As insulin is instrumental in transporting sugar from your blood to the cells to be used for energy or stored for later use, any imbalance can trip the natural balance of bodily functions damaging eyes, kidneys, nervous systems and vital organs. In simpler words, diabetes is a medical condition that inhibits the body’s natural ability to process blood sugar, also known as blood glucose.

There are three main types of diabetes. Type I diabetes when the body is unable to produce enough insulin for energy reproduction. Type II diabetes in which the body’s ability to utilise insulin is affected. Gestational diabetes usually affects pregnant women as the body becomes less sensitive to insulin. 

Causes of Diabetes

Doctors are not sure what really causes Type I diabetes. It might be genes that cause the immune system to accidentally attack and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. An unhealthy lifestyle and genetics cause Type II diabetes. Being overweight is also a major cause. If it runs in your family, there is a higher chance of you getting it too if you are belly-heavy and overweight.

Learn To Detect the Symptoms of Diabetes

So how do you know if you have diabetes? These symptoms will not only help you learn about detecting signs in yourself but also in other people around you. Some signs can be quite mild and unnoticeable. Being vigilant and proactive about this deadly disease can help you live a carefree and diabetes-free life. Irrespective of the type of diabetes you might have, these are the common symptoms that emerge in varying degrees of severity.

•    Hunger

•    Fatigue

•    Being thirsty all the time and peeing more often

•    Itchy skin

•    Sweats and chills

•    Feeling weak and sleepy

•    Shaking

•    Coordination problems

•    Being anxious and irritated

•    Headaches

•    Seizures

•    Vaginal and skin infections

•    Dry mouth and being dehydrated

•    Loss of focus and blurred vision

Type 2 diabetes has some acute symptoms such as:

•    Cuts or sores that heal slowly or not all

•    Yeast infection

•    Painful or numb feet or legs                                                

Gestational diabetes has more or less the same symptoms as other types in addition to:

•    Erectile dysfunction

•    Impotence

•    Tingling or numbness in feet and hands

•    Weight gain

•    Darkening of skin colour around the neck, groin, and armpits

Treatments and Their Side Effects

•    Insulin is the most common treatment for diabetes. However, administering too much can cause hypoglycaemia, nausea, and shaking.

•    Metformin may be prescribed for Type 2 Diabetes for enhancing the effects of insulin and lowering blood sugar but may cause weight loss.

•    SGLT2 inhibitors, as well as GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, are prescribed who have additional diseases such as chronic kidney diseases and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. The common side effects of these drugs are nauseous, gastrointestinal issues, urinary infections, ketoacidosis, genital infections, and loss of appetite.

However, all these drugs won’t play a huge part in your wellness if you don’t change your lifestyle. Being generally active and adopting a healthier lifestyle is the key to controlling the symptoms of diabetes. Get yourself checked today and monitor your blood sugar regularly at home to detect the signs.