What is Diabetes? Diabetes, also called diabetes mellitus, is a health disorder that affects the sufferer’s metabolism. In a healthy body system, glucose produced from digested food travels through the bloodstream. In the body’s cells, glucose is used to provide energy for the body. However, in order for this to happen, the pancreas must first produce a sufficient amount of insulin, a special hormone. In individuals with diabetes, the pancreas does not supply an adequate amount of insulin. In some cases it may produce no insulin at all, and in other cases the body cannot properly use the produced insulin.
In diabetics, glucose accumulates in the blood due to the insufficient amounts of insulin produced. The glucose is then excreted from the body during urination. This is detrimental because glucose is a huge source of energy in the body. Therefore, diabetics may often feel fatigue and drained of energy, especially when this condition is not treated properly.
Who is affected by diabetes? People classified as high risk for diabetes generally fall into the following categories: –over age 45 –overweight –were diabetic while pregnant –fall into the following ethnic categories: black, Hispanic, Asian, Native Indian –have some family history of diabetes …