DIABETES: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus are a group of disease that affect how the body uses the sugar (glucose). During
diabetes there is an excess of glucose in the blood, and it can lead to serious health problems,
such as renal insufficiency. Glucose is the source of energy for the cells that constitute the
muscles, tissues and brain. So, it is vital for the life.

There are two types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood or adolescence. In this disease the immune
disease the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

Type 2 diabetes is the more common type of diabetes and can appear at any age, however it is
more common in people older than 40 years old. In type 2 diabetes the cells become resistant to
the action of insulin and pancreas is unable to make enough insulin to overcome this resistance.
Therefore, levels of glucose increase in the blood.

Causes of diabetes

Type 1 diabetes

An exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown. It is proposed to be a combination of genetic

susceptibility and environmental factors, however these factors have not been described.

Type 2 diabetes

The causes of type 2 diabetes is a combination of factors, which include:

- Genes

It has been identified fragments of DNA that affect how pancreas produces insulin.

-Extra weight

The overweight and obesity can cause resistance of insulin.

- Metabolic syndrome

People with insulin resistance usually have high blood pressure, extra fat around the waist and
high cholesterol and triglycerides

- Broken beta cells

Cells in the pancreas that produce insulin release out the wrong amount of insulin at the wrong
time

Effects of type 2 diabetes

Overtime, high glucose levels in blood can damage and cause problems including:

- Cardiovascular disease

You are up to 5 times more likely to get heart disease of have a stroke

- Kidney damage (nephropathy)

It can produce renal insufficiency and the need of dialysis.

- Eyes damage (retinopathy)

The tiny blood vessels of retina are damaged and produce blindness.

- Brain damage

The brain can be damaged and there is a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

- Nerve damage (neuropathy)

Nerves are damaged that lead to trouble with digestion, feeling in feet and sexual response.

- Skin conditions

Blood does not circulate well and then wounds heal slower and can become infected.

Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are also called sugar substitutes or nonnutritive sweeteners. They are very
important for people with diabetes because these substances do not increase the blood sugar
levels. Actually, we have a variety of artificial sweeteners, including Saccharin (Sweet'N Low),
aspartame (NutraSweet), acesulfame potassium (Sunett), neotame (Newtame), advantame,
sucralose (Splenda) and stevia (Pure Via, Truvia). So, people with diabetes have a variety of
options to be used in this daily diet instead of sugar, and then avoid the diseases produced as a
consequence of diabetes.

Options to avoid diabetes

Actually diabetes can be treated with diet and drugs. However, people must reduce the risk of
diabetes adopting a healthy lifestyle. It includes lose weight, get more physical activity, eat healthy
food and quit smoking.

Sitios

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes
https://www.canva.com/design/DAEwXn5SQao/share/preview?
token=z7b41AtdbzNCt1kxbZ3r4Q&role=EDITOR&utm_content=DAEwXn5SQao&utm_campaign=designshare
&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton

Check the likn for better visualization.

Thanks

Salvador Miranda Meza

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/artificial-
sweeteners/faq-20058038

Causes: