Insulin, Pre-diabetes, Diabetes mellitus and its symptoms

Table Of Contents

• 1. What is insulin?
• 2. Diabetes mellitus
• 3. Type l and type ll Diabetes
• 4. Pre-diabetes
• 5. Signs and symptoms of the diabetes mellitus.

◾ What is insulin ??

       Chemically ,it is a polypeptide hormone which is produced from pancreatic cell ( beta cell of islets of langerhans). It is anabolic type of hormone as it plays important role in the formation of glycogen . It also influences fat, proteins  metabolism in addition to carbohydrate. It has a great impact on diabetic patient .It has two chains, alpha and beta chain. it is secreted as Proinsulin which latter converts into insulin and c peptide.

What does insulin do ??

         insulin is concerned in regulating carbohydrate metabolism and blood

glucose level. It is the only antidiabetic hormone secreted in our body. It reduces blood glucose level. It helps in increasing permeability of the cell membrane and hence increase the the transport of glucose from blood to the cells. It also increases glucose transport in the the cell membrane.
     
         Glucose that enters the cells get immediately utilised by the cell in the presence of insulin. Hence it increases peripheral glucose utilisation.
         It promotes the the storage of glucose that is glycogenesis. It is takes place in the muscles and liver. Activation of the enzymes required for the glycogenesis is done by the insulin.

       Moreover insulin prevents glycogenolysis which means breakdown of glycogen into glucose. It also inhibits gluconeogenesis that is formation of glucose from non carbohydrate source like amino acid fats etc.
      Basically insulin decreases the blood glucose level.

◾Diabetes Mellitus:

        It is a metabolic disorder caused by blood glucose level. Sweetness of urine in diabetic patient is is observed.

Some Facts about diabetes:

(According to cdc.gov )

Diabetes:

Total: 34.2 million people have diabetes (10.5% of the US population)

Diagnosed: 26.9 million people, including 26.8 million adults

Undiagnosed: 7.3 million people (21.4% are undiagnosed)

Prediabetes:

Total: 88 million people aged 18 years or older have prediabetes (34.5% of the adult US population)

65 years or older: 24.2 million people aged 65 years or older have prediabetes.

Types of diabetes mellitus :

         Diabetes may be of primary and secondary type. Primary diabetes is not related to other diseases but secondary diabetes results from pancreatic damage or diseases because of some other factor.

Primary diabetes mellitus:

 Primary diabetes is classified into type l and type ll.

Type l diabetes mellitus (IDDM):

      It is also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus as because the patient requires insulin injection. It may occur at any age but usually more common before 40 years. It is also related to obesity and may be associated with ketosis and acidosis.

Some causes of type l diabetes mellitus:

•   Viral infection causing beta cell destruction.
•   Congenital (by birth) beta cell disorder.
•    Beta celldesigner ration in islets of langerhans.
•   Autoimmune disease which destroys the beta cell because of onset of antibody against beta cell.

Type ll diabetes mellitus(NIDDM):

         It is due to the insulin resistance that is failing of insulin receptor to give response to the insulin. Body unable to use insulin. It is the most common type of diabetes mellitus, almost 90% of the diabetic patient suffering from this type. It is commonly found above 40 years. Few patient needs insulin. Patient need to take oral hypoglycemic drugs. It is also called as non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. It is related to obesity but may or may not be related with ketosis.

Causes of insulin resistance:

• Lifestyle factor like on healthy eating habit physical inactiveness which results in obesity.
• Causes due to genetic disorder.
• Taking so much stress.

◾Pre-diabetes:

      It is a subclinical or borderline diabetes which lies between normal and diabetes. Blood glucose level increased but no observable symptoms appears. It is reversible but chances of getting into type ll diabetes mellitus is high.

◾ Also read about Trichomoniasis 

Secondary diabetes:

          It is a rare type of diabetes found in 2% of the patients. Endocrine disorder,hepatitis c,fatty liver , alcohol and opiates intake, chronic pancreatitis , some drugs like oral contraceptives ,steroid etc are some of the causes which may lead to the secondary type of diabetes.

◾Signs and symptoms of diabetes mellitus:

•  High blood glucose level (300 to 400 mg / dl)
•  Protein depression from tissues.
•  Loss of glucose in urine (glycosuria).
•   Excessive urine formation (polyuria)because of osmotic diuresis.
• Water intake increases (polydipsia).
•  Patient takes large amount of food polyphagia.
•  Patient become weak ( asthenia) because of protein depletion.
•  In some severe cases patient may experience circulatory shock and coma.