Diabetes and its causes

Diabetes is a disease that is chronic and degenerative. Diabetes is a result of disturbance of the metabolism of the human body and hormonic imbalance. There are two forms in which Diabetes occurs - Insipidus and Mellitus.

Diabetes insipidus is a rare metabolic disorder. It is caused by a deficiency of certain hormones which are normally secreted by the posterior part of the pituitary gland. Diabetes Inspidus is characterised by an excess of fluid loss by the body. The treatment of Diabetes Inspidus requires replacement of the hormones that are deficient.

Between these two disorders, Diabetes mellitus is more serious and this is commonly referred to as diabetes. This is A group of disorders in which there is a defect in the transfer of glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into cells, leading to abnormally high levels of blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
The word diabetes is Ionian Greek and means "to run through" or "a siphon". It was first used by Aretaeus of Cappadocia in the 2nd century AD to describe a condition that caused increased urine output. It was thought that diabetes melted the flesh and limbs into urine.
Diabetes develops becase of the body's inability to make appropriate use of the food that is eaten. This is either due to insufficient production of insulin, or due to its improper use.

Normally the food we eat is converted by the body into glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar, which is a source of energy to the body cells.
The presence of glucose, or sugar, in the blood is controlled by insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a gland in the abdomen. Insulin regulates the level of glucose in the blood and also helps in its utilisation and storage by the body.

A shortage of insulin or its absence leads to abnormalities in the metabolism or the breaking down of carbohydrates, as well as of proteins and fats by the body. As a result glucose is not used by the body cells and it builds up in the blood.

Sometimes we find people wwho have a sweet tooth or are overindulgent on sugar based food like chocolates and sweets have a high level of sugar present in their urine. This is not diabetes. It is hyperglycaemia. Hyperglycaemia is a condition when the glucose level in the blood rises above 180 mg. The excess sugar passes out of the body via urine, and the sugar level comes down to normal in a short span of time. Elevation of sugar level in the blood and passing sugar in the urine cannot, by itself, therefore, be called diabetes mellitus.