What is Diabetes Mellitus?
Human body requires glucose as a source of energy for all the cells in muscles, tissues and brain. At any given time, the levels of glucose in the blood are controlled by a hormone called ‘insulin’, which is released by the pancreas. In people with diabetes, the insulin secreted by the pancreas is in inadequate quantity, or the body cells become resistant to insulin. This results in an increase in the blood glucose levels, commonly known as high blood sugar.
What are the types of diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes (total lack of insulin): Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin.
Type 2 diabetes (inadequate insulin and insulin resistance): In type 2 diabetes, the body does not use insulin properly which is called insulin resistance. At first, the pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it, but over time it is not able to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to maintain normal blood glucose.
Gestational diabetes (diabetes acquired during pregnancy): Gestational diabetes is a condition in which a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, and usually reversible after giving birth. It can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but is more common in the second half of the gestation period.