When the body cannot use glucose efficiently due to lack of the hormone insulin or because any insulin available may not be working effectively, diabetes occurs. The body converts all glucose from food into energy and this glucose is found readymade in sweet or starchy foods like cakes and pasta. The liver can also make its own glucose.

Under normal circumstances, insulin created in the pancreas regulates the amount of glucose in the bloodstream, but when the body starts not being able to regulate the glucose levels, diabetes occurs.

Diabetes is a condition that has been recognized for over 3,500 years. What is interesting is that for all the people that actually have the condition, there are nearly another 33% that number again who have the condition but do not know it. Three-quarters of all diabetes sufferers are classed as having type 2 diabetes, with the remainder having type 1 diabetes mellitus.

The difference between these two types of diabetes is that in type 1 the body is incapable of producing insulin whereas in type 2, not enough insulin is produced. As a rule, type 1 usually manifests itself in childhood or early adulthood and can be treated using insulin injections and diet control. Type 2 diabetes usually affects people as they grow older, normally after forty years of age.

Diabetes Symptoms