Let's Take a Look at Type-1 Diabetes

There are two types of diabetes, recognized formally as type-1 and type-2.  The two types both contain the root factor of diabetes: an imbalance between blood sugar and insulin.  The levels of insulin and blood sugar are directly related and rise and fall as opposites.  High insulin levels will result in lower blood sugar levels and the reverse is true as well. 

Why is sugar present in human blood and what is its function?  Blood sugar, more formally known as glucose, is a primary energy source for the human body.  Much of the food consumed by a person will be converted by the body into glucose to feed hungry cells.  The ability of cells to feed on the glucose in the blood is vital to human health.  The key to utilizing glucose successfully is insulin. 

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas (normally in the appropriate quantity) to balance the amount of glucose present in the blood.  When the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to aid in glucose usage, the condition is diagnosed as type-1 diabetes.  There are special cells in the pancreas that produce the insulin and for different reasons the cells cease to produce correct quantities or actually die off.  The lack of insulin to aid cells in feeding on the glucose will increase the glucose present in the blood leading to other difficulties.  Type-2 diabetes results from the same problem, but for reasons other than a pancreatic malfunction. 

The primary treatment for type-1 diabetes is insulin injections to compensate for the lack of normally produced quantities of the hormone.  There are several types of insulin formulas used for the injections.  The formulas are designed either for faster absorption into the blood or for a long lasting effect on overall insulin levels. 

The injections are usually self-administered with a syringe or a pump mechanism.  The pump is a combination electronic and mechanical device that stores a quantity of insulin and has timed controls to manage a constant flow as required.  There are usually manual overrides available for immediate needs.  The pumps tend to level out the ups and downs of a patient’s glucose levels over the course of a day.  The pump is attached to a permanent site in the abdomen to insert the insulin, so repetitive needle sticks are not required. 

There are other treatments to improve the health of type-1 diabetes patients, but there currently is no cure.  Reducing weight, exercising, and good nutrition are essential for a diabetic patient to enjoy improved health.  These actions will reduce many of the dramatic health problems caused by type-1 diabetes.