Diabetes

Diabetes Research

The American Diabetes Association has been working hard to try to find a way to help cure the people who suffer from diabetes. Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus to be exact, is known and believed to be a deathly disease that is triggered or caused by excessive sugar in the human body. People who suffer from diabetes possess a large quantity of blood sugar which the cells of the blood are not capable of taking in. And when these people get wounded, it is hard for them to stop bleeding and so it is hard for the wound to recover.

Concerning the horrible effect that can be brought by the diabetes mellitus disease, there are a number of institutions out there that are trying to find out more facts on this diabetes disease by carrying out attempts on diabetes research. One of them is the American Diabetes Association (ADA) which concentrates on the diabetes mellitus diseases. A diabetes research is considered necessary since the disease is spreading all around the globe and the sufferers seldom make it through to survive.

The researchers at the ADA have been conducting researches for the time being. One research has recently been carried out by its researcher Hanna E. Abboud, MD. The researcher is a graduate of the science center for health in a university in Texas.

His research concentrated on the oxidant stress that is possessed by the diabetic nephropathy. The research was started on January 1st, 2007 and is targeted to be accomplished in the end of this year of 2009.

The diabetes research mentioned above concentrated on the diabetic nephropathy since the diabetic nephropathy is considered as one very serious complication that is caused by the type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes and it often threatens someone’s chance of surviving.

Yet, the knowledge that mankind possesses is not yet adequate to tell how the diabetic nephropathy initiates and progresses in the human body. If only the researchers know how the system works for the diabetic nephropathy, there is a good chance that the kidney damage caused by the disease can be prevented, or at least be reversed.

This diabetes research is expected to figure out more facts on what the oxidant stress actually has to do with the diabetes as a medium for the kidney damage. It is said as kidney damage because this diabetic nephropathy is actually a kidney complication as well.

The research aims to find out about the cells that the uncontrolled diabetes targets the most, the kidney mesangial cells. The precise oxygen radicals enzymatic source is what the research aims to identify.

There are a lot of diabetes sufferers who experienced kidney complications. But there is actually something that can be done to help prevent this complication as well the other types of complications. Controlling the blood sugar by making use of the insulin as well the oral agents may help do this. But it is not easy to control the flow of the blood sugar and there are some of the patients who still experience kidney complications despite having their blood sugar controlled.

Because of the lacking of knowledge about this disease and how the disease works, ongoing researches on diabetes will still be needed to be carried out by the corresponding institutions.

What Causes Diabetes

The major causes of diabetes are not yet very clear. Medical scientists still find mystery in it and that is the reason some people suffer from diabetes and some others are not suffering from this common disease. However, there are some factors that may have the chances to lead to diabetes. Here, in forthcoming paragraphs let’s see what causes diabetes and their risk factors.

Most of us have the doubt whether diabetes is inherited or not. The fact is – if diabetes runs in the family for many years than heredity is the culprit of diabetes. People who come from such type of family background have flat 25% history of developing diabetes. For instance, if diabetes woman carries twin babies there are chances either one of the twins may have diabetes or both have. To prevent the causing of the diabetes in child the mother needs to control the diabetes by maintaining the normal blood glucose level.

Diet is another culprit, which is responsible for diabetes. We all know the proverb “Too much of anything is good for nothing”. Related to that proverb too much of food stuffs enriched with proteins, carbohydrates and fats are very much harmful to the body.

Remember, to do vital functions or to produce strong energy, a body needs only the balanced diet. For instance, the pancreas does its role of insulin secretion but too much of any food factors prevent pancreas from doing its action properly. Insufficient insulin secretion raises the blood sugar level and this is what causes diabetes in diet.

People, who eat refined carbohydrate stuffs like breads, biscuits, chocolates, cakes, puddings, ice-creams, junk items like fried potatoes and other fried stuffs, have the high chances in getting diabetes.

Apart from that, too much of eating habit also leads to obesity, which is another major cause of diabetes. Remember, overweight or obesity has the potential to prevent the insulin to act properly in the body.

The real function of the insulin is to let the sugar in the blood to penetrate into the tissue cells and muscles. Fat in the body makes the tissue cells and muscles to resist insulin. As a result, it leads to high blood sugar level and this is what causes diabetes in obesity.

Virus infections also are potential to cause diabetes. One of the potential viruses is – Coxsackie B, which may infect pancreas and that leads to Beta B cells of Islets. With the result it impairs the tissues and that is what causes diabetes.

One of the common predisposing factors for diabetes is ageing. Generally, a person grow older especially above 45 years of age has many chances to develop diabetes.

Emotional stress is another cause of diabetes. In this busy life people having lot of stress in the form on anxiety, grief, death, worries and so on now-a-days. With the result, that leads to insufficient pancreas and it also have the potential to alter the blood sugar level that in turn causes diabetes finally.

How Do You Know You Have Diabetes

Like any other disease, in the beginning stages, diabetes has no symptoms or has very mild symptoms or common symptoms that are very difficult to diagnose. These mild symptoms will not develop rapidly. In fact, they develop gradually — that is the reason we are not able to notice them.

Just because of this reason, it is advisable for people who are 40 or above to do the screening blood tests or pre-diabetes at least once in three years. If the people are overweight fewer than forty also advised to take these types of tests.

One of the main symptoms of the diabetes is having excessive thirst. People have the feeling that they can never quench their thirst. If a people notice this type of symptoms suddenly then it is advisable to take the possible tests as soon as possible. Remember prevention is always better tan cure.

Due to unquenchable thirst people drink plenty of water. With the result that leads to frequent urination, which is another major symptom or sign of diabetes. Note, especially this frequent urination happens mostly during night times and not day times.

Apart from unquenchable thirst and frequent urination people may have the symptoms of extreme hunger suddenly. If a person happen to feel this unusual hunger then it is advisable to pay proper attention as it is also the major symptom of this diabetes, especially if they feel hungry after few minutes of eating horse.

People feel extremely tired all the times as diabetes lead to fatigue. So, it is always advisable to pay proper attention to increased fatigue.

Irritability is another symptom of diabetes. Here, irritability means not the normal irritability that comes from stress or tired. It is a constant irritability without any clear reason. Encounter this situation also recommended to take proper attention.

You know diabetes has all the possibility to affect the clear vision. If people meet blurry vision or sudden vision changes it is advisable to go to doctor immediately. People need to take further possible tests to diagnose whether it causes by diabetes or some other reason.

Unexpected or unusual or abnormal weight loss is also another major symptom of diabetes. Apart from that sores that are slow to heal or recover is also the possible symptom and getting more infections than usual like urinary tract infections are some of the potential reasons of diabetic symptoms.

Gestational Diabetes

During the pregnancy stage sometimes people affected by high blood sugar (glucose) levels and this condition characterized as gestational diabetes. In most cases this blood sugar or glucose level back to normal after delivery. In United States there are 3 percent to five percent pregnant people diagnosed by diabetes.

Causes

Some hormonal changes take place during pregnancy and that is the he major cause of the gestational diabetes. Certain hormones made in placenta (an organ that connects umbilical cord to uterus that helps to transfer nutrients to baby from mother) that involve with the insulin to manage blood sugar and this process is known as “insulin resistance”. During pregnancy placenta grows large and produce more hormones that increase the insulin resistance.

Generally, mothers’ pancreases are capable to produce more insulin say about three times than the normal amount to overcome the insulin resistance. In case, during pregnancy if the pancreas are not able to create enough insulin to conquer against the effects of increased pancreas then that leads to high sugar level. This whole process is the major cause of gestational diabetes.

Risk Factors

Some of the major factors that increase and develop the risks of gestational diabetes are – a woman being overweight by 20 percent or more than their real body weight is one of the major risk factors. Secondly, family history is other major risk. For instance, if a sibling or parent has diabetes then the woman has lot of risk to get diabetes in pregnancy. Pre-mature baby birth is another major risk factor for diabetes.

Apart from that if a woman has gestational diabetes in her previous birth also one of the causes for risk factors. Furthermore, having excess amniotic also one of the risks and this condition called as polyhydramnios.

However, development of gestational diabetes has no known risk factors in half of the women.

When and How to diagnose?

A woman needs to diagnose gestational diabetes between the weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy because the insulin resistance occurs only during this stage. In case if a woman already had gestational diabetes or if a doctor feels there are chances for this diabetes than it is advisable to take the tests prior to 13th week of pregnancy.

The oral glucose tolerance test is ideal the screen test for gestational diabetes. This is a very simple test, just a woman needs to swallow sweetened liquid (which has 50g of glucose) as quickly as possible. This glucose can absorb by the body rapidly that in turn increase the blood sugar level in just 30 to 60 minutes. After 30 minutes from drinking the solution a laboratory person take the sample from the arm vain and diagnose whether she has diabetes or not.

Treatments

A woman needs to check blood sugar levels regularly during pregnancy and she also need to follow certain guidelines instructed by her doctor. Regular exercising and taking insulin also help to decrease blood sugar. These are some of the major things about gestational diabetes and pregnancy.

Beginning Signs of Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common problems all over the world and it is inevitable when people reach certain age. Knowing the beginning signs of diabetes is very much helpful in preventing diabetes. Obese and overweight are some of the major causes of this massive disease.

There are two types of diabetes and they are type I and type II. Children are the main victims of type I diabetes and adults are the main victims for type two diabetes. The signs are more or less same in both the types. The major cause of the diabetes is insufficient insulin from pancreas that increases the blood sugar level.

Losing weight is one of the major beginning signs of diabetes. Without undergoing the exercise or diet plans if weight loss happens then it should consider closely because it may bring potential major risks of diabetes.

Remember healthy weight loss prevent diabetes but at the same time losing weight by diabetes leads to great risks. Since weight loss is a common problem and less serious condition most of the people are not aware that it indicates diabetic risks and so they fail to take proper attention. With the result they need to face risky consequences later.

Becoming thirsty and feeling thirsty all the times is also the major beginning signs of diabetes. If a person faces this situation constantly then it is advisable to consider this problem very seriously to avoid high-factor risks. This particular sign comes under type II diabetes.

Frequent urination is another major sign of diabetes in the beginning stage, especially urinating very often in night-time. At the same time, sometimes people urinate very often without drinking water.

When people feel thirsty it is obvious that they drink plenty of water. When they drink plenty of water again it is very much obvious that they urinate very often. Thus, these two major signs have the bond between them.

Apart from these symptoms, sudden feelings of dry mouth gum, constant bad breath and gum disease and other mouth related problems are also the beginning signs of diabetes. When people experience such type of problems it is advisable to visit doctor and take initial screening tests as soon as possible.

Having sudden problems with the vision like blurred vision is also another major beginning signs of diabetes. This problem comes under type I diabetes and it requires medications.

Some more signs of diabetes in the beginning stage are – heredity problems, which can spotted in many family histories, sudden dryness of the skin or feeling the itchiness constantly is also the beginning signs. Apart from that being fatigue is also the major sign. If a sore take long time to heal process then it is also consider being the major symptom or sign of diabetes in the early stage.

To prevent the risks of diabetic, people should aware of these beginning signs of diabetes. Remember detecting the problems in the early stage always has the potential not only to prevent the side effects of diabetes but it also helps to treat the disease with ease.