Diabetes is a global disease:

  • 34 million people in the US [1]
  • ~ 10% of the US Population [1]
  • 2.2 million deaths due to complications with diabetes [2]
  • Diabetics pay 2.3 times as much on medical expenses [3]

 

What is it?

Type two diabetes occurs when cells throughout the body become resistant to insulin [4]. Insulin is a hormone that signals cells to take up glucose (sugar) from the blood[5]. 

 

When the patient’s cells develop a resistance to insulin, cells cannot absorb glucose properly.[4]

 

This causes the buildup of glucose in the bloodstream — otherwise known as hyperglycemia [7].

 

This condition of high concentration of glucose can be detrimental to organs since it produces low quantities of a chemical, nitric oxide, which is responsible for dilating blood vessels. [8]. Without nitric oxide, the blood vessels constrict, have less blood flow, and are damaged from lack of oxygen. 

 

This can lead to permanent damage to the heart, nervous system, kidneys, eyes, skin, bones and joints, and the mouth [7].

 

The pancreas is the organ responsible for regulating glucose [4]. If the glucose concentration is high, the pancreas releases even more insulin. [4]. With insulin resistance, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to lower blood sugar, and this is related to the death of pancreatic cells called beta cells which secrete insulin[9].

 

The main form of treatment for type two diabetes is with the prescription of pills or the injection of insulin [10]. In order to know how much treatment is necessary, monitoring the blood glucose levels is a good indicator of the dosage required as the blood glucose levels can fluctuate.