What are the causes of diabetes?

The causes of diabetes are not totally known by medical science. There are still many questions about it that haven't been answered. Scientists are still at a loss as to why some people get it while others do not. It is known however, that having certain risk factors leads to diabetes. Some of these factors (lifestyle) are controllable while others (genetic) are not.

The cause of diabetes type 1: The body stops making insulin or or doesn't make enough insulin to regulate the blood sugar level. This type makes up approximately 10% of all cases diagnosed in the U.S. Previously called juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, type 1 diabetes is usually seen in children or teens. It can also occur in older people due to removal of or damage to the pancreas. Daily insulin is necessary for keeping a type 1 patient alive.

Diabetes type 2 is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. The cause of diabetes type 2 is a metabolic disorder in which the body has difficulty utilizing its own insulin to manage the blood sugar. At the onset of the disease, beta cells are frequently producing as much or more insulin as would be required by a different person of equal weight. But resistance to insulin occurs due to changes in liver, fat and muscle cells. Insulin injections, exercise and diet modification are typical treatments.

The cause of gestational diabetes is pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can develop during pregnancy in a woman who hasn't previously had the condition. It affects two to three per cent of all pregnant women and goes away after birth. If it is not managed properly, it can lead to complications for the woman or her baby.

Blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes is the cause of pre-diabetes. More than fifty million people in the U.S. have pre-diabetes. Studies have shown that some permanent damage to some parts of the body, typically the heart and circulatory system, may occur during pre-diabetes.

The cause of diabetes varies from one form of the disease to the next. Of all diseases diabetes is the sixth leading killer in the U.S. Talk to your doctor about any symptoms that you may have so that he or she can make a diagnosis. Many symptoms related to diabetes are symptoms of other serious diseases as well so see your doctor at least once a year.

Article Source: http://www.articlemonk.com

When looking for the cause of diabetes or anything else in relation to diabetes go to www.YourDiabetesInfo.com where John Richmond is a contributing writer and has several other articles there as well.

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