The Causes of Diabetes

by Barb Hicks

During the course of many decades, scientists have labored over researching why the pancreas ceases to produce insulin or why the insulin it does produce is ineffective to the body. There is however one discovery. A mutant gene passed through the ages from our ancestors may be the cause of this phenomenon. Other possible causes include:

Potbelly/Over Weight Stress/Anxiety Infections of the Pancreas, Genetics Inactivity Cholesterol/Triglyceride Elevations

You will find that most risk factors responsible for diabetes are also factors that exist for heart disease.

Diabetes is the increased levels of blood glucose levels in the body caused by insufficient insulin or production or ineffective insulin. The effects of this are frequent urination or polyuria and excessive thirst or polydipsia. A hormone secreted by the pancreas, insulin raises glucose levels which are then turned into energy the body uses as fuel.

The body’s reaction to insufficient insulin:

If the pancreas is producing sufficient insulin but the body isn’t using it properly, it is referred to as the body being resistant to the insulin. Another reaction is for the body to produce insufficient insulin which affects the glucose from being changed to energy which the body needs.

Is it curable?

At this time, scientists have not yet found a cure. However, there are several experimental procedures that are displaying high success rates. These procedures include;

Transplant of Pancreas: This procedure is for anyone with uncontrollable Type 1 DM diabetes, but have a functioning kidney. In patients who underwent this procedure, insulin injections were no longer required to keep them alive and the risk factors with diabetes were greatly decreased.

Pancreas and Kidney Transplant: This procedure is strictly for those patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes and are experiencing extreme kidney failure. After the surgery, patients no longer needed insulin injections or kidney dialysis. If the patient did not reject the organ transplants within the first year, their rate of success over the next ten years was highly increased.

Transplant of Islets: Islets of Langerhans are beta cells in the pancreas. While this procedure is still in its clinical trial, it involves the islets of a deceased donor to be injected into a diabetic patients liver. Once completed, the cells begin to produce insulin which the body uses to regulate blood sugar levels.

In a study of patients who received islet transplants, five out of thirty-six still remain free of the need for insulin two years after the procedure. Although these procedures are experimental and not yet approved by the FDA, they have all shown positive results.

The search for better treatments and a cure for diabetes are on-going, and it is hoped that a cure will present itself in the very near future. But until then, lifestyle changes will help those who are living with diabetes to live a long and productive life in spite of having the disease.

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