All about Diabetes - Types, Symptoms, Causes & Prevention

Diabetes is a medical condition wherein the blood sugar or glucose level is higher than the permissible range. In medical science, this disease is categorised into two types, namely Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Insulin is a hormone closely related to this condition. Insulin is responsible for extracting sugar from the blood, converting it to energy, and storing them in cells.

According to an alarming report, 55.5% of men and 64.6% of women in their twenties residing in India’s metropolitan centers face a lifetime risk of diabetes (1).

A diabetic cannot produce enough insulin or use the insulin for normal bodily functions. There various types of diabetes found in the human body can affect health differently.

However, it is a vast topic and requires extensive study to know more about this disease. Let’s start with the basics of diabetes to learn further!

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease caused when your blood has an excess of sugar or glucose. Insulin is a biochemical substance found in the human body, which is generally responsible for converting this glucose into energy. However, in diabetic individuals, this hormone fails to function properly, leading to an increased glucose level.

Depending on the type of diabetes, one of the following can occur.

The pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. Hence, the cells do not get sufficient energy to perform bodily functions. This is known as Type 1 diabetes.

Alternatively, the pancreas produces insulin in sufficient quantity, but the cell cannot use this hormone. This gives rise to what is known as Type 2 diabetes. In both these cases, sugar level rises in the blood.

Depending on the condition, diabetes is divided into different types to study and treat properly.

What are the Different Types of Diabetes?

Generally, three types of diabetes are common in humans. They are mentioned below.

1. Type 1 diabetes

It is generally considered to be a hereditary disease. However, environmental influence is also considered a driver of type 1 diabetes.

This particular type of diabetes is often referred to as an autoimmune condition. Here, the immune system of your body attacks the beta cells present in the pancreas that produce insulin mistakenly. Therefore, insulin production gets hampered.

2. Type 2 diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the body cannot properly use insulin. Instead, it prompts the pancreas to produce more insulin to a point when it cannot produce anymore. Resultantly, the blood sugar level increases in the absence or scarcity of insulin.

Although the causes of type 2 diabetes are still unknown, the following are often considered responsible.

Genetics
Environment
Other health issues

Besides type 1 and type 2 diabetes, another variant also afflicts human beings, known as gestational diabetes.

3. Gestational diabetes

This type of diabetes afflicts expecting mothers during pregnancy due to insulin-blocking hormones. Although it often resolves after giving birth, such a condition can impose potential risk for the baby’s health. Moreover, it increases the chance of suffering from type 2 diabetes in the future.

Mothers suffering from gestational diabetes may exhibit symptoms, such as high blood pressure, future diabetes and inability to undergo a normal delivery.

On other other hand, babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes often suffer from excess weight at birth, low blood sugar levels, respiratory conditions and more.

4. Diabetes in children

Earlier type 1 diabetes was common in teenagers, with malfunctions in the pancreas leading to insufficient insulin production.

However, with obesity and unhealthy lifestyle on the rise, children today also face immense threat of type 2 diabetes. Adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle can prevent the onset of such conditions at such a tender age.

However, in either case, the body shows some early symptoms of diabetes that help in diagnosis. Self diagnosis is also possible today thanks to specialised kits available from pharmacies.

Mostly, these instruments include a small needle to prick on the tip of your finger to draw blood. This blood is then placed on test strips and inserted in the special testing machine. Results are immediate and relatively accurate.

What are the Early Symptoms of Diabetes?

Irrespective of the types of diabetes, there are some common symptoms that you may notice, which can be indicative of the affliction. These are:

Fatigue and hunger
Frequent urination
Increased thirst
Blurred vision
Dry and itchy skin
Wounds take time to heal
Sudden weight loss
Frequent infections

Diabetes symptoms in men and women are usually the same. However, some specific complications hit differently for both the sexes. For instance, men may face the following issues exclusively.

Low testosterone
Erectile dysfunction
Retrograde ejaculation

Similarly, diabetes symptoms in women can specifically include the following -

Irregular menstrual cycle
UTIs and yeast infections
Lower fertility

However, there can also be other symptoms, considering every human body is unique and responds differently.

What Causes Diabetes?

The uncertainty in insulin production is one of the prime causes of diabetes. Hereditary and environmental factors, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle also worsen diabetes.

While both types of diabetes have their root in genes, the pre-existing medical conditions can further deteriorate an afflicted individual’s health. For instance, type 1 diabetes can arise from a virus that attacks the immune system.

On the other hand, excessive belly fat can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Can untreated Thyroid problems cause Diabetes?

Most studies show that thyroid disorders and diabetes coexist. Since both of these conditions stem from endocrine dysfunction, they affect each other.

The thyroid gland controls the glucose level in the body, and thus, untreated thyroid disorder results in type 1 diabetes in most cases.

Hence, if you have type 1 diabetes; it is high time you should check the thyroid level from time to time and vice-versa.

How is Diabetes Diagnosed?

Irrespective of the types of diabetes, checking the blood sugar level is the most reliable and simplest way to diagnose diabetes. Following are some of the pathological tests that show the sugar level accurately.

Fasting blood glucose test – A test report of 126 mg/dL and higher is considered diabetic.
Random blood glucose test – 11.1 mmol/L or more suggest diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance test – A reading of more than 200 mg/dL indicates diabetes.
A1c test – A level of 6.5% and above means you have diabetes.

The diabetes blood sugar level also determines the kind of medication and lifestyle changes you would need to adopt.

What is the Treatment for Diabetes?

Diabetes is not a disease you can treat by yourself, although lifestyle changes can help control it. You need to consult a physician to treat all types of diabetes.

Since diabetes affects other organs and tissues, you may need to visit an eye specialist, a dietician and an endocrinologist as part of your treatment.

With the right medication, diet and exercise, it gets easier to treat diabetes effectively by keeping the sugar level in check.

Know more about:

What are the Risk Factors for Diabetes?

The following table elucidates the diabetes risk factors.

Types of diabetes	Risk Factors
Type 1	Age, Family history
Type 2	Obesity, Pre-diabetes, Heredity, Physical inactiveness, Pre-existing non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Gestational	Family history of type 2 diabetes, The baby weighs 9 pounds or more, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Obesity
Pre-diabetes	Unhealthy lifestyle, Family history with type 2 diabetes, Obesity, Less physical activity, Stress, Age more than 45 years, Side-effects of some particular drugs.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle with a proper diet and plenty of exercises is the easiest way to offset the risk of diabetes.

Which Diabetes is Insulin Dependent?

Insulin is developed in the laboratory and it is considered one of the safest drugs for all types of diabetes. Depending on the diagnosed blood sugar level, doctors can prescribe multiple insulin shots.

You have to inject it daily as per your physician’s advice. Once habituated, you can take the injection by yourself. Usually, insulin injection for diabetes type 1 is the best that has negligible side-effects. Fortunately, you can easily self-medicate using modern insulin delivery systems.

How to Prevent Diabetes?

The prevention and control of diabetes are crucial to ensuring a healthy life. Hence, follow the below-mentioned tips to keep blood sugar level within a permissible level.

Limit refined carbs and sugar intake
Exercise regularly
Drink water as per body weight. Since diabetes’s effect on the kidney is common, drink adequate water and check kidney function often.
Lose weight if you are obese
Quit smoking and drinking.
Include high-fibre and low-carb food in the diet.
Avoid packaged food.
Make sure to maintain enough Vitamin D in your diet.

Along with that, continue having your regular drugs prescribed by your doctor. However, make sure that the blood sugar level does not fall drastically.

Insulin-dependent diabetes patients often witness sugar drops that can lead to numbness and even diabetic coma in severe cases.

What are the Effective Home Remedies for Diabetes?

Although seeking professional medical care is recommended, diabetes treatment with home remedies can control the glucose level to a significant extent.

The best part is that these tips and tricks work for all types of diabetes. Include the following in your regular diet for best results:

Bitter gourd - This vegetable contains insulin-polypeptide-p that treats diabetes. You can add this to your main course or make a smoothie.
Fenugreek seeds - Soak it overnight and drink the infused water on an empty stomach to decrease blood glucose level.
Cinnamon - This Indian spice is effective in treating diabetes as it contains bioactive compounds. Take half a spoon of cinnamon powder, mix it in warm water, and have this concoction once a day.
Vitamin C - Diabetes’s effect on the eyes can be fatal if not addressed in time. Hence, add vitamin C-rich food to your diet like oranges, lemons, green chillies, gooseberries, etc. Try to intake at least 60 grams of Vitamin C every day.

Along with that, drink sufficient water, get adequate sleep and exercise to make diabetes treatment at home successful.

What are the Superfoods for Diabetes?

Following are some of the so-called superfoods that can minimise the chances of all types of diabetes infliction.

Beans
Milk and yoghurt
Nuts
Tomatoes
Fishes rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Whole grains
Citrus fruits
Berries
Green leafy vegetables
Fibre-rich sweet potatoes.

Whatever your diet, keep a tab on the calories you consume every day. For better results, consult a dietician who can suggest a personalised diet as per your age, work routine, body weight, etc.

Diabetes has become so widespread that you need to be careful with what you eat along with leading a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, do not forget to consult a doctor if any of the symptoms arise.

FAQs About Diabetes

✓ What foods can worsen diabetes?

Health experts advise avoiding carb-heavy food, sugar-sweetened food and beverages, Trans fats, white rice, bread, honey, maple syrup, dried food, root-vegetables like beets, potatoes, etc., when suffering from this condition.

In beverages, diabetics should avoid fruit juice, aerated drinks and similar products. Besides packaged snacks, flavoured yoghurt, french fries, etc., are considered harmful for diabetics.

✓ Is diabetes curable?

Although diabetes is still incurable, it can be managed to ensure a healthy life. Several measures can help limit diabetes levels effectively. For instance, regular exercise, a healthy diet and periodic check-ups and medication help treat diabetes.

✓ Which exercises are the best for diabetes?

Usually, walking, swimming, yoga, weight training, stationary bicycling, Tai Chi, dancing, climbing stairs are the easiest and effective exercises for diabetes.

✓ Which fruits are good for diabetics?

Bitter lemon, blackberries, pears, oranges, etc., are good for diabetes. However, consult your doctor before starting a new diet.

✓ What are the side-effects of diabetes?

If diabetes remains untreated for a significant period, it can cause severe damage like foot ulcers, kidney malfunction, vision impairment, stroke, gum diseases, nerve damage, fatigue and several others.

The situation further worsens if one has other health issues besides diabetes.