Type 2 diabetes is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. Ninety percent of all cases of diabetes fall into this category. Diabetics suffering from Type 2 diabetes may not produce sufficient insulin to control blood glucose levels or their body cells don’t respond to it.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is the most severe type, but less people suffer from it. It is caused when the beta cells in the pancreas are damaged or when there is a malfunction in the immune system that causes it to attack beta cells in the pancreas. When this happens the beta cells are destroyed, no insulin is produced and blood glucose levels skyrocket.
Syndrome X
In non-diabetics the hormone insulin aids blood glucose in entering body cells. When people are inactive, overweight or are genetically susceptible, the cells do not respond to natural insulin that’s produced in the body. This causes the pancreas to produce more insulin in order to compensate and to keep blood glucose levels in the normal range. The excess insulin that’s produced is suspected of causing Syndrome X, which is a metabolic disorder that increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Research has proven that Syndrome X also causes cancer because insulin can initiate abnormal cell growth when produced in large quantities and not absorbed into body cells.
Insulin Resistance
Statistics show that insulin resistance may affect up to thirty percent of all adults who have a genetic flaw in the pancreas. Over a number of years the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin to control blood glucose levels, which causes Type 2 diabetes. In order to prevent this, diabetic experts urge glucose testing of all individuals on a regular basis to ensure that even the slightest elevations of blood glucose levels are monitored and treated immediately.