WHAT_IS_DIABETES_MELLITUS[1]

Diabetes mellitus is a disorder characterized by abnormally high blood glucose levels. People with diabetes cannot properly process glucose, a sugar the body uses for energy. As a result, glucose tends to move inefficiently from the bloodstream to the tissues of the body where it is needed. Therefore, at the same time blood glucose levels are elevated, the rest of the body can be starved for glucose. Diabetes can lead to poor wound healing, higher risk of infections, and damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart. In type 1 diabetes, also called childhood-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes, damage to the pancreas results in an inability of that organ to make the hormone insulin. Most risk factors discussed in this section do not apply to type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is also called adult-onset or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In people with this condition, the pancreas is capable of making normal amounts of the hormone insulin. Despite the presence of normal or even elevated levels of insulin in type 2 diabetes patients, however, the body does not efficiently move glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells. This lack of sensitivity to insulin is called insulin resistance—the hallmark of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance not severe enough to be labeled diabetes is sometimes called glucose intolerance and is considered a pre-diabetic condition. Risk factors for glucose intolerance are virtually identical to risk factors for type 2 diabetes. There are herbal supplements that help to promote healthy blood sugar levels.

Risk Factors for Diabetes

Age

The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with age beginning after age 30. Nearly 20% of the U.S. population aged 65–74 has diabetes. Pre-diabetic conditions also increase in older people and are thought to contribute to heart disease and other health problems.2

Alcohol

Moderate drinking in healthy people improves glucose tolerance and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, alcohol has been reported to worsen glucose tolerance in the elderly. For young, healthy people, light drinking will at least not increase the risk of diabetes, though as for all people, heavy drinking should be avoided.

Low birthweight

Both male and female infants with low birthweight appear to be at increased risk for eventually developing type 2 diabetes. The risk is slightly less than double for newborns weighing under five pounds compared to those weighing nine pounds.

Diet and carbohydrates

Despite the body’s need for insulin when carbohydrate is eaten, diets high in total carbohydrates do not necessarily increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, researchers have found that high-sugar diets may worsen glucose tolerance in animals12 and humans, though the amounts of sugar used in these studies in proportion to other foods are much larger than is typically found in human diets.

Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, whether high in sugar or high in starch (such as bread, potatoes, cold breakfast cereals, and rice), temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels. The blood sugar-raising effect of a food, called its “glycemic index,” depends on how rapidly its carbohydrate is absorbed. Many starchy foods have a glycemic index similar to sucrose (table sugar). People eating large amounts of foods with high glycemic indexes (such as those mentioned above), have been reported to be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, eating a diet high in carbohydrate-rich foods with low glycemic index has associated with a low risk of type 2 diabetes. Due mostly to the health-promoting effects of fiber found beans, peas, fruit, and oats, these foods have low glycemic indices despite their high carbohydrate content.

The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals.

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The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals.

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