Diabetes why. From what and why - what causes diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a group of endocrine diseases. Allocate type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent form), type 2 (non-insulin-dependent form) and pregnancy diabetes. To understand what causes diabetes mellitus, you need to know what type of disease you are talking about. It is difficult to say unequivocally what exactly provokes the disease. But doctors know what factors contribute to the development of problems.

Classification of diabetes

Doctors distinguish 2 types of diabetes: diabetes mellitus and insipidus. In diabetes insipidus, vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) deficiency is diagnosed, with this condition observed polyuria (increased frequency of urination) and polydipsia (irrepressible thirst).

Diabetes mellitus is of several types. It is a chronic disease characterized by impaired metabolism of carbohydrates (glucose). There is also a slight violation of the process of protein metabolism.

The insulin-dependent type of the disease belongs to type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). It is characterized by an insulin deficiency in the body. In such patients, the pancreas is damaged, it cannot cope with the load. In some patients, it does not produce insulin at all. In others, its production is so insignificant that it is not able to process even a small amount of glucose that enters the body with food.

A non-insulin dependent type of disease is called type 2 diabetes. It develops mainly in adults. With this disease, insulin continues to be produced in the body, but the tissues cease to perceive it.

Sometimes the problem appears during pregnancy. This is due to the increasing load on the internal organs of the expectant mother.

Type 1 diabetes: causes

In insulin-dependent diabetes, the production of the hormone insulin decreases or stops altogether. The beta cells located in the pancreas die off.

This type of disease is most often diagnosed in children, adolescents and young people under the age of 20.

This is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system begins to fight its cells. Scientists have found that in the body of each person, several genes are responsible for determining their own, foreign bodies and their difference. But in case of failures, the immune system begins to attack its own beta cells, and not the aggressors. Even a pancreas transplant does not give results: the immune system considers beta cells "alien" and begins to actively destroy them. It is impossible to restore them.

Therefore, most often diabetes occurs against the background of a genetic predisposition and autoimmune processes progressing in the body. But in some cases, viral infections provoke the development of the disease.

It has been established that insulin-dependent diabetes can be detected in healthy parents in children after suffering "childhood" viral diseases:

• piggy;
• rubella;
• measles;
• chickenpox;
• viral hepatitis.

In some, diabetes mellitus 1 develops against the background of kidney disease. Each of the viral lesions affects the body differently. Some of them severely damage the pancreas. It has been established that if the mother had rubella during pregnancy, then the child will have insulin-dependent diabetes: the fate where insulin is produced is destroyed.

In some lesions, viruses produce proteins that are similar to beta cells, which are responsible for the production of insulin. When foreign proteins are destroyed, the immune system also attacks its own beta cells. As a result, insulin generation is significantly reduced. Kidney disease, namely glomerulonephritis, can also trigger autoimmune processes.

Systematic stress can lead to malfunctioning of the immune system. Indeed, during a stressful situation, a significant amount of hormones is released into the bloodstream, over time their supply decreases. The body needs glucose to restore them. By the way, this is why many people "seize" stress with sweetness.

When an excessive amount of glucose enters the body, the pancreas begins to work in an enhanced mode. But the stress goes away, the diet changes. The pancreas habitually produces an excessive amount of insulin, which is not needed. Because of this, jumps in blood sugar levels begin in the blood: the natural mechanism of the pancreas is disrupted.

But not all people have such reactions to viruses, stress. Therefore, understanding how and why diabetes mellitus appears, one must understand that a genetic predisposition still plays a role.

The provoking factors for the development of diabetes mellitus 1

In addition to the main reasons that are the catalyst for the development of insulin-dependent diabetes, experts identify certain factors that can trigger the onset of diabetes.

These include the following.

1. Violations of the process of enzyme formation, as a result of which the pancreas is disrupted.
2. The presence of inflammatory diseases of the pancreas or closely located organs: pancreatitis or cholecystopancreatitis. Failures in the insulin generation process provoke surgery or injury.
3. Insufficient intake of protein, zinc and various amino acids (responsible for the transfer of insulin into the blood), in combination with an excessive amount of iron, leads to disorganization of the process of insulin production. Blood oversaturated with iron enters the pancreas and becomes the cause of its overload: the process of insulin production slows down.
4. Atherosclerosis of blood vessels can be the cause of impaired blood supply to the pancreas. This can cause insulin production to stop completely.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus: causes

While insulin-dependent disease affects mainly young people, type 2 diabetes is an adult disease. The process of insulin production continues in their bodies, but this hormone ceases to cope with its functions. Tissues lose their sensitivity to it.

This disease is not associated with the peculiarities of the immune system or with viral infections. Simply, insulin resistance may appear. The cells do not absorb glucose, so the signal that the body is saturated with sugar does not appear. Even in the absence of malfunctions from the pancreas, insulin begins to be produced later.

The exact causes of diabetes in adults are difficult to establish. After all, for this it is necessary to understand why tissues stop responding to glucose entering the body. But doctors have identified risk factors, in the presence of which the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes is high enough.

1. Genetic predisposition. If one of the parents suffers from type 2 diabetes, then the probability of its development in a child reaches 39%, if both parents are sick, then 70%.
2. Obesity. The presence of excess weight in adults is a predisposing factor: the overwhelming number of endocrinologists with diabetes mellitus 2 suffer from obesity, their BMI exceeds 25. With an excess of adipose tissue in the body, the amount of FFA (free fatty acids) increases: they reduce the secretory activity of the pancreas. FFAs are also toxic to beta cells.
3. Metabolic syndrome. The condition is characterized by an increase in the amount of visceral fat, impaired metabolism of purines, carbohydrates and lipids, and the appearance of arterial hypertension. The problem develops against the background of hormonal disruptions, hypertension, polycystic ovary disease, ischemic heart disease, menopause.
4. Taking medicines. With some medications, there is a risk of developing diabetes. These drugs include glucocorticoids (hormones that are produced in the body by the adrenal cortex), atypical antipsychotics, statins, beta-blockers.

Other causes of type 2 diabetes include:

• lack of movement;
• unhealthy diet, in which a small amount of fiber and a large number of refined foods enter the body;
• pancreatitis in chronic or acute form;
• vascular atherosclerosis.

When diagnosing this type of disease, you should understand why it has arisen. Perhaps it will be enough to adjust the diet, to minimize the manifestations of the underlying disease in order to remove the symptoms of diabetes mellitus. It will not be possible to get rid of this endocrine disease, but patients have the opportunity to keep their sugar levels under control.

Causes of Gestational Diabetes

Impaired glucose sensitivity in expectant mothers requires special monitoring. Identifying the underlying causes of gestational diabetes can be difficult. Fortunately, this disease does not occur frequently. The main reasons that can provoke violations:

• genetic predisposition: in the presence of relatives with diabetes, the likelihood of its development increases;
• transferred viral diseases: some of them can cause malfunction of the pancreas;
• the presence of autoimmune lesions, in which immune cells begin to destroy beta cells;
• high-calorie food combined with low mobility: women with a BMI above 25 before pregnancy are at risk;
• age of the pregnant woman: it is advisable to check all patients over 35 years old;
• the birth of previous children weighing more than 4.5 kg or the birth of dead children with undiagnosed reasons.

It has been found that Asian and African women are more at risk of developing the disease.

Typical symptoms

It is not enough to understand how diabetes is formed, what diseases and factors can provoke the disease, you need to know how it manifests itself. If you pay attention to the symptoms that appear in the initial stages of the development of the disease, then the progression of type 2 diabetes can be prevented.

With type 1 diabetes, symptoms are pronounced, patients rapidly develop ketoacidosis. This condition is characterized by the accumulation of metabolic decay products and ketone bodies. As a result, the nervous system is affected, the patient may fall into a diabetic coma.

The main signs of an increase in the concentration of glucose in the blood are:

• irrepressible thirst;
• drowsiness;
• lethargy;
• feeling of dryness in the mouth;
• increased urination;
• weight loss.

The amount of liquid you drink can exceed 5 liters per day. In this case, the body accumulates sugar in the body, due to a lack of insulin, it does not break down.

In type 2 diabetes, the symptoms are not pronounced, they appear late. Therefore, people with obesity, blood pressure problems and genetic predisposition are advised to regularly check their blood sugar concentration. Signs of diabetes 2 include:

• dry mouth;
• itching of the skin;
• obesity;
• increased urination;
• persistent thirst;
• muscle weakness;
• deterioration of vision.

In men, there may be a decrease in sex drive. With the development of these signs, it is necessary to immediately consult an endocrinologist. He will appoint the necessary examination. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will try to find out where the disease came from. If the reasons cannot be established or an endocrine disorder has appeared due to a genetic predisposition, then the doctor will try to choose the most adequate method of therapy.

The doctor's recommendations must be followed strictly. This is the only way to keep the disease under control. The endocrinologist will need to be shown regularly. If the condition worsens, then he can adjust the appointment.

Good day, dear friends! In the conditions of our medicine and the availability of the Internet, you have to figure out many issues yourself. So that you do not get confused in the abundance of information, I offer you a reliable and accurate source from a specialist.

Let's talk about the initial symptoms and signs of diabetes mellitus in adults, which are the first manifestations on the skin and other organs of the incipient disease. I really hope that after reading the article you will receive comprehensive answers to your questions.

How to recognize the first symptoms of diabetes

The early signals of diabetes can appear at any age. It is possible to recognize and begin treatment in time only by knowing the initial manifestations of the disease. I am sure that you are aware of the different types of diabetes mellitus, for example, diabetes in young people and diabetes in adults or the elderly. In medicine, they are often divided into: type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus. But there are many more types than you might think.

And although the reasons for the appearance of these types of diabetes are different, the primary manifestations are the same and are associated with the action of an increased level of glucose in the blood. There is a difference in the rate of onset of type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus, the degree of severity, but the main symptoms will be the same.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is often caused by insulin insensitivity, can be almost asymptomatic for a long time. When in this type, as a result of the depletion of the reserves of the pancreas, a lack of the hormone insulin develops, then the manifestation of diabetes becomes more pronounced, which makes it necessary to seek medical help.

But by this time, unfortunately, the main vascular complications, sometimes irreversible, had already developed. Find out to prevent complications in a timely manner.

The initial signs of diabetes mellitus

Let's consider the most frequent and basic manifestations of diabetes mellitus in an adult.

Thirst and frequent urination

People start to complain of dry and metallic taste in their mouths, as well as thirst. They can drink 3-5 liters of liquid per day. Frequent urination is considered one of the first signs of diabetes mellitus, which can worsen at night.

What are these signs of diabetes mellitus associated with? The fact is that when the blood sugar level exceeds an average of 10 mmol / l, it (sugar) begins to pass into urine, taking water with it. Therefore, the patient urinates a lot and often, the body becomes dehydrated, and dryness of the mucous membranes and thirst appear. A separate article - I recommend reading it.

Sweet cravings as a symptom

Some people have an increased appetite and most often want more carbohydrates. This may be due to two reasons.

• The first reason is an excess of insulin (type 2 diabetes), which directly affects the appetite, increasing it.
• The second reason is cell starvation. Since glucose is the main source of energy for the body, if it does not enter the cell, which is possible both with a deficiency and with insulin insensitivity, hunger is formed at the cellular level.

Signs of diabetes on the skin (photo)

The next signal of diabetes, which appears one of the first, is itching of the skin, especially the perineum. A person with diabetes is often prone to infectious skin diseases: furunculosis, fungal diseases.

Doctors have described more than 30 types of dermatoses that can occur in diabetes. They can be divided into three groups:

• Primary - arising from metabolic disorders (xanthomatosis, necrobiosis, diabetic blisters and dermatopathies, etc.)
• Secondary - when attaching a bacterial or fungal infection
• Skin problems during drug treatment, i.e. allergic and adverse reactions

Diabetic dermatopathy - the most common skin manifestation in diabetes mellitus, which is manifested by papules on the anterior surface of the lower leg, brownish in color and 5-12 mm in size. Over time, they turn into pigmented atrophic spots, which can disappear without a trace. There is no treatment. In the photo below, there are signs of diabetes on the skin in the form of dermopathy.

Diabetic bladder or pemphigus occurs quite rarely, as a manifestation of diabetes mellitus on the skin. It occurs spontaneously and without redness on the fingers, hands and feet. Bubbles come in different sizes, the liquid is clear, not infected. They usually heal without scarring in 2-4 weeks. The photo shows an example of a diabetic bladder.

Xanthoma occurs when lipid metabolism is disturbed, which often accompanies diabetes. By the way, the main role is played by elevated triglycerides, and not cholesterol, as some believe. On the flexion surfaces of the limbs, yellowish plaques develop, in addition, these plaques can form on the face, neck and breast skin.

Lipoid necrobiosis rarely occurs as a symptom of diabetes mellitus on the skin. It is characterized by focal lipid degeneration of collagen. More often occurs with type 1 diabetes long before the onset of obvious signs. The disease can occur at any age, but most often between the ages of 15 and 40, and mainly in women.

Large lesions are observed on the skin of the legs. It begins with cyanotic-pink spots, which then grow into oval, clearly delineated indurative-atrophic plaques. the central part sinks slightly, and the edge rises above healthy skin. The surface is smooth, may peel off at the edges. Sometimes ulceration occurs in the center, which may hurt.

There is currently no cure. Apply ointments that improve microcirculation and lipid metabolism. Injection of corticosteroids, insulin, or heparin into the affected area often helps. Sometimes laser therapy is used.

Itchy skin and neurodermatitis can occur long before the onset of diabetes. Research shows it can take anywhere from 2 months to 7 years. Many believe that itching of the skin is common in overt diabetes mellitus, but it turns out to be the most intense and persistent in latent diabetes.

Most often, the folds of the abdomen, groin areas, ulnar fossa and intergluteal cavity itch. Itching usually only on one side.

Fungal skin lesions in diabetes

Candidiasis, in the common people a thrush, is a very common problem in diabetology, one might say a threatening sign. Basically, the skin is affected by fungi of the genus Candidaalbicans. It occurs mostly in the elderly and very obese patients. It is localized in large folds of the skin, between the fingers and toes, on the mucous membranes of the mouth and genitals.

First, a white strip of the exfoliating stratum corneum appears in the fold, then the appearance of cracks and erosion joins. Erosions are smooth in the center of a bluish-red color, and a white rim around the perimeter. Soon, so-called “screenings” in the form of pustules and vesicles appear near the main focus. They are inserted and also turn into erosion, prone to the merging of the process.

Confirmation of the diagnosis is simple - positive culture for candidiasis, as well as visual identification of fungi in a microcopy study. Treatment consists in treating the affected areas with alcohol or aqueous solutions of methylene blue, brilliant green, Castellani liquid and ointments containing boric acid.

Antimycotic ointments and drugs are also prescribed inside. The treatment continues until the complete disappearance of the altered areas and for another week to consolidate the result.

Dental problems

One of the obvious symptoms of incipient diabetes can be a problem with the teeth, as well as frequent stomatitis and periodontal disease. These problems arise against the background of seeding with yeast fungi of the genus Candida, as well as an increase in the population of pathogenic flora in the mouth due to a decrease in the protective properties of saliva.

Diabetes symptoms and vision

Change in body weight

Signs of diabetes can include either weight loss or, conversely, weight gain. A sharp and inexplicable weight loss occurs with an absolute insulin deficiency, which occurs in type 1 diabetes.


In type 2 diabetes, there is more than enough self-insulin and a person only gains weight over time, because insulin plays the role of an anabolic hormone that stimulates fat storage.

Chronic fatigue syndrome in diabetes

In connection with the violation of carbohydrate metabolism, a person has a feeling of constant fatigue. Decreased performance is associated with cell starvation and the toxic effects of excess sugar on the body.

These are the initial signs of diabetes mellitus, and sometimes it does not matter what type of diabetes. The difference will be only in the rate of increase of these symptoms and the degree of severity. How to treat and read in the following articles, stay tuned.

With warmth and care, endocrinologist Lebedeva Dilyara Ilgizovna

Many diabetics are surprised - why did I have diabetes mellitus? Several chronic human endocrine diseases in medicine are combined under one name - diabetes mellitus.

There are many reasons for the occurrence of this ailment, which are based on a general disruption of the functioning of the endocrine system of the body, based either on a deficiency of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, or on the inability of the liver and body tissues to process and absorb glucose in the proper volume.

Due to the lack of this hormone in the body, the concentration of glucose levels in the blood constantly increases, which leads to metabolic disorders, since insulin performs an important function of controlling the processing of glucose in all cells and tissues of the body.

When the tissues of the pancreas are destroyed, the cells responsible for the production of insulin are destroyed, which is the cause of diabetes mellitus, as well as if, for other reasons, the sensitivity of the cells and tissues of the body to insulin contained in the human blood changes.

Types of diabetes

The causes of this disease are rooted in metabolic disorders in the body, namely carbohydrates and fats. Depending on the relative or absolute insufficiency of insulin production or the deterioration of tissue sensitivity to insulin, there are two main types of diabetes and other types:

• Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus- Type 1, the causes of occurrence are associated with insulin deficiency. In this type of diabetes mellitus, the lack of the hormone leads to the fact that it is not enough even to process an insignificant amount of glucose that has entered the body. As a result, a person's blood sugar level rises. To prevent ketoacidosis - an increase in the number of ketone bodies in the urine, patients are forced to constantly inject insulin into the blood in order to live.
• Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus- 2 types, the reasons for its appearance lie in the loss of tissue sensitivity to the pancreatic hormone. With this type, there is both insulin resistance (insensitivity or reduced sensitivity of tissues to insulin), and its relative lack. Therefore, hypoglycemic tablets are often combined with the administration of insulin.

According to statistics, the number of patients with this type of diabetes is significantly more than type 1, approximately 4 times, they do not need additional injections of insulin, and for their treatment drugs are used that stimulate the pancreas to secretion of insulin or reduce the resistance of tissues to this hormone. Type 2 diabetes is further subdivided into:

• occurs in persons of normal weight
• appears in overweight people.

Gestational diabetes mellitus- This is a rare type of diabetes that occurs in women during pregnancy, it develops due to a decrease in the sensitivity of a woman's own tissues to insulin under the influence of pregnancy hormones.

Diabetes, the occurrence of which is associated with a lack of nutrition.

Other types of diabetes, they are secondary, because they occur with the following provoking factors:

• Diseases of the pancreas- hemochromatosis, chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, pancreatectomy (this)
• nutritional disorder leading to a mixed state - tropical diabetes
• Endocrine, hormonal disorders- glucagonoma, Cushing's syndrome, pheochromocytoma, acromegaly, primary aldosteronism
• Chemical diabetes- occurs against the background of taking hormonal drugs, psychotropic or antihypertensive drugs, thiazide-containing diuretics (glucocorticoids, diazoxide, thiazides, thyroid hormones, dilantin, nicotinic acid, adrenergic blockers, interferon, vacor, pentamidine, etc.)
• Insulin receptor abnormality or genetic syndrome s - muscular dystrophy, hyperlipidemia, Huntington's chorea.

Impaired glucose tolerance, a fickle complex of symptoms that most often go away on their own. This is determined by analysis 2 hours after glucose load, in this case the patient's sugar level ranges from 7.8 to 11.1 mmol / l. With tolerance, fasting sugar is from 6.8 to 10 mmol / l, and after eating the same sugar is from 7.8 to 11.

According to statistics, about 6% of the total population of the country suffers from diabetes mellitus, this is only according to official data, but the real number, of course, is much higher, since it is known that type 2 diabetes can develop for years in a latent form and have minor symptoms or proceed completely unnoticed.

Diabetes mellitus is a rather serious disease, since it is dangerous for those complications that develop in the future. According to diabetes statistics, more than half of diabetics die from angiopathy of the legs, heart attack, nephropathy. Every year, over a million people are left without legs, and 700,000 people are blind.

Causes of type 1 diabetes mellitus

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to contract diabetes mellitus? Of course, diabetes cannot be contracted, since it is not an infectious disease. It has long been established by experts that diabetes is most often explained by the presence of genetic defects, obesity, and autoimmune disorders. So why does diabetes mellitus occur in humans?

• The causes of type 1 diabetes mellitus are most often due to autoimmune processes, in which the body produces antibodies against its own cells, the amount of insulin decreases until the production of the hormone completely stops. This is a genetic predisposition.
• In the opinion of many doctors, the most likely factor influencing the development of diabetes mellitus from the outside is a viral infection, because often after), infectious mononucleosis, rubella or acute, or, the patient is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. This is due to the fact that in healthy people and patients with pancreatitis, as well as malignant neoplasms of the pancreas, such autoimmune processes (antibodies to beta cells) are found extremely rarely - 0.3% of cases. But the formation of such antibodies appears in patients after damage to the beta cells of the pancreas against the background of a viral infection. Also, modern endocrinology believes that feeding babies with cow and goat milk leads to the early onset of diabetes; it is not recommended to give children fish oil.
• In the development of this type of diabetes mellitus, the increased activity of T-killer cells is to blame, that is, not only violations of humoral, but also cellular immunity lead to this disease.

It is a viral infection that is the trigger for the development of diabetes in children. For example, as a complication after rubella, one in five people who recover from the disease develops type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus

In this type of diabetes, the secretion of insulin by the beta cells of the pancreas remains unchanged, or decreases, but not significantly. The bulk of patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes are obese people, with a small proportion of muscle mass and a high mass fraction of fat, as well as elderly people. In such diabetes mellitus, the cause of the occurrence is considered to be a decrease in the number of insulin receptors, as well as a lack of intracellular enzymes, leading to impaired glucose metabolism in the cells and tissues of the body. The resistance of peripheral tissues to the pancreatic hormone insulin leads to insulinism (increased insulin secretion), which also contributes to

Why does diabetes mellitus appear?

Hereditary disposition. With diabetes mellitus in both parents, the risk of developing this disease in children during their life is guaranteed by almost 60%, if only one parent suffers from diabetes, then the probability is also high and amounts to 30%. This is due to hereditary oversensitivity to endogenous enkephalin, which increases insulin secretion.

In type 2 diabetes, neither autoimmune diseases nor a viral infection are the causes of its development.

Frequent overeating, overweight, obesity are the main causes of type 2 diabetes. Receptors of adipose tissue, in contrast to muscle, have an underestimated sensitivity to insulin, therefore, its excess affects the increase in the norm of glucose in the blood. According to statistics, if the body weight exceeds the norm by 50%, then the risk of developing diabetes approaches 70%, if the excess weight is 20% of the norm, then the risk is 30%. However, even with a normal weight, a person can suffer from diabetes mellitus, and on average 8% of the population without overweight problems suffer from this disease to one degree or another.

If you are overweight, if you reduce your body weight by even 10%, a person significantly reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Sometimes, when a patient with diabetes is losing weight, glucose metabolism disorders either decrease significantly or completely disappear.

Diabetes risk factors

• As already mentioned, with a genetic disposition, in the presence of diabetes in the next of kin, the risk of diabetes mellitus is very high.
• With significant trauma, shock, damage to the pancreas, diabetes may also develop.
• Overweight, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, lack of muscle and an abundance of body fat.
• Diseases of the pancreas, accompanied by damage to beta cells.
• Chronic stress, nervous breakdowns, aggravating factors that contribute to the progression of the disease and are the trigger mechanism for the onset of the disease with hereditary disposition and overweight.
• Viral infections such as chickenpox, rubella, hepatitis, mumps are provoking factors for people with a genetic disposition.
• Age also plays a key role in the development of diabetes, the older a person is, the more worn out the body, there are many chronic diseases - all this increases the risk of developing diabetes. There is a high probability of developing the disease in people after 45 years, and it is even higher after 65 years.
• Hypertension, high blood pressure, high levels of fats (triglycerides) in the blood, eating a lot of fatty foods.
• There is a myth that the more white sugar a person consumes, the higher their risk of diabetes. This is not entirely true, those with a sweet tooth do not have an increased risk of acquiring this disease just because they eat a lot of sweets. It's just that they are more likely to gain excess weight, which in turn provokes diabetes, and not vice versa.
• Most often, when diabetes occurs, there are several causes at once, it can be heredity, and age, and overweight.

The phenomenon is much more insidious. Unfortunately, it cannot be cured. But you can prevent it. In this article, we will not talk about how terrible the consequences of diabetes are.

We will talk about prevention, about the first symptoms of diabetes and how to detect the disease at the very beginning. Tells endocrinologist of the Chernihiv city polyclinic number 3 Elena Piskun.

If all diseases in our country were not called romantic ancient Greek phrases, then it would be much easier to understand their essence. After all, the wise Greeks encoded in the names not only the essence of the disease, but also its symptoms. For example, the disease "diabetes mellitus" could be called in translation only as "a person losing sugar."

The essence of the disease lies in the dysfunction of the pancreas, which cannot produce enough insulin. Why do we need insulin?

We are losing it!

Imagine the cells in your body as spheres with closed doors. Glucose accumulates around the cells, but cannot get inside without the help of insulin. It serves as a key to the door of the cell. Glucose, in turn, is necessary for cells for their existence, like gasoline is necessary for a car to drive.

What happens when there is little or no insulin at all? Here food enters the body, then complex carbohydrates are processed into monosugar (mainly into glucose) and, absorbed through the intestinal walls into the blood, are carried throughout the body. It seems like there is glucose and everything is fine, but it cannot get into cells without insulin. As a result, cells starve, but blood sugar levels rise.

Head as an indicator

Where does glucose go if there is no insulin and it cannot get into the cells? Part of it interacts with non-insulin-dependent tissues that absorb sugar from the blood, despite the absence of insulin, and if there is too much sugar, then they absorb it in excess.

First of all, such sugar absorbers are the brain, nerve endings and nerve cells. Yes, that is why the first symptoms of diabetes are heaviness in the head, fatigue, rapid fatigue, impaired attention, a little later cataracts or clouding of the lens of the eye appear, vision deteriorates (a white veil appears in front of the person's eyes).

Glycemic index. Who needs it?

The glycemic index reflects the rate at which a product is broken down in our body and converted into glucose. Glucose itself is taken as a standard and, accordingly, is equated to 100 units. All other foods have a glycemic index (GI) ranging from 0 to 100 or more, depending on how quickly they are absorbed.

If a food has a low glycemic index, it means that blood sugar rises slowly when consumed. The higher the glycemic index, the faster the sugar level rises after eating the food and the higher the instantaneous blood sugar level after eating the food.

Heredity... There are observations that type 1 diabetes is inherited with a probability of 3-7% in the mother's line and with a probability of 10% in the father's line. If both parents are sick, the risk of the disease increases several times and is up to 70%. Diabetes of the second type is inherited with a probability of 80% on both maternal and paternal lines, and if both parents are ill with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, the probability of its manifestation in children approaches 100%, but, as a rule, in adulthood. Well, in this case, doctors differ only in the number of percentages, otherwise they are in agreement: heredity is the main factor in the onset of diabetes.

Obesity... From the point of view of the development of diabetes, it is especially dangerous if the body mass index is more than 30 kg / m2 and obesity is of an abdominal nature, that is, the body shape takes the shape of an apple. The size of the waist circumference is important. The risk of diabetes increases with a waist circumference of more than 102 cm for men and more than 88 cm for women. It turns out that the wasp waist is not only a tribute to fashion, but also a sure way to protect yourself from diabetes. This factor, fortunately, can be neutralized if a person, being aware of the full measure of danger, will fight overweight (and win this fight). The best prescription from doctors in this case is to give up a sedentary lifestyle. Just 30 minutes of exercise a day or 3 hours a week can work wonders.

Pancreatic diseases... Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diseases of other endocrine glands - everything that provokes pancreatic dysfunction contributes to the development of diabetes. By the way, physical trauma can often contribute to damage to the pancreas.

Viral infections... Rubella, chickenpox, epidemic hepatitis, and several other diseases, including influenza, increase the risk of diabetes. These infections play the role of a trigger, as if provoking the disease. It is clear that for most people, the flu will not be the onset of diabetes. But if this is an obese person with aggravated heredity, then a simple virus poses a threat to him. A person whose family was not diabetic can suffer the flu and other infectious diseases many times, and at the same time, they are much less likely to develop diabetes than a person with a hereditary predisposition to diabetes. So the combination of risk factors increases the risk of the disease several times.

Diabetes registered in the genes may not manifest itself if it is not triggered by one of the following factors: nervous stress, a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, inability to breathe fresh air and spend time in nature. All these "urban" troubles only increase the risk. Add to this the increase in life expectancy (the highest incidence of diabetes is recorded in people over 65), and we get huge statistics on the number of diabetic patients.

Diabetes young and old

There are two types of diabetes. What are their features?

1st type. Insulin dependent.

This disease is most often genetically determined, it can manifest itself at any age, more often at a young age (even in the first months of life). In the first type, the cells of the pancreas are destroyed, which leads to absolute insulin deficiency. This, in turn, leads to high blood sugar levels, constant thirst and weight loss (although the appetite is generally good). The first type of diabetes can only be treated with subcutaneous injections of insulin.

You also need a special diet and a minimum of nervous shocks.

2nd type. Insulin independent.

This type of disease usually develops over the years. Most often it is diagnosed in adulthood. In type 2 diabetics, only relative insulin deficiency develops, that is, pancreatic insulin is produced in sufficient quantities, but the sensitivity of cell receptors is impaired, which leads to impaired carbohydrate metabolism, high blood glucose levels.

Obesity is often a cause, and at the same time a symptom of this type of diabetes. Such diabetes is kept under control with pills, diet and, again, the right lifestyle.

Diabetes myths and facts

If a child is given a lot of sweets, he will develop diabetes..

It is not true. As we have already found out, the amount of sugar in foods does not directly affect blood sugar. In the case of children, it is necessary to understand whether they have a hereditary predisposition to the disease. If there is, then it is necessary to compose the menu based on the indicators of the glycemic index of the products. If the hereditary factor is excluded, then there is a need in the form of prevention to maintain a healthy body weight and a healthy psyche of the child. But the amount of candy he eats does not in any way affect the development of diabetes.

There is infectious diabetes.

This is a 100% myth, which is a consequence of misinformation. Unfortunately, a large number of materials are replete with claims that diabetes can be "caught" through dishes or physical contact with a sick person, as well as through the blood of a diabetic.

This is absolute nonsense. Diabetes is a dysfunction of the pancreas. And that's it! It's not about the quality of blood, not about viral bacteria, but about specific features (or acquired diseases) of the body.

But ordinary flu can also provoke diabetes, but only if a person already has a predisposition to diabetes.

Diabetes is dangerous for the legs.

Indeed, the most is a disease of the feet, the so-called "diabetic foot". Most often, a similar phenomenon can be seen in type 2 diabetics with 15-20 years of experience. First, funnel-like wounds appear on the surface of the feet, which eventually grow and turn into an ulcer.

Diabetes mellitus destroys the nervous system and blood vessels. The foot is the part of the body that constantly experiences increased stress and is often injured. And in conditions of impaired blood circulation, the protective function of tissues is reduced, and any minor injury (abrasion, abrasion) can lead to a long-term non-healing wound.

Diet for type 2 diabetes

Breakfast:

Eggs - 2 pcs., Hard boiled

Boiled meat with stewed zucchini

Coffee or milk tea

Butter (10 g) and 2 slices of rye bread

Dinner:

Pickle soup fish or meat broth with meatballs

Lean boiled meat with stewed cabbage

Fresh apple or jelly compote

Afternoon snack:

Bran cheesecake

Rosehip infusion or lemon tea

Dinner:

Cabbage rolls with meat or cod marinated

Tea or chamomile infusion

At night:

Sour milk or apple