What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes, also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes, occurs when cells become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates the body’s glucose levels. Insulin resistance leads to an increased demand on the pancreas to produce more insulin; eventually the pancreas will not be able to produce enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels in a normal range and too much glucose floating around in the blood is not a good thing; it can lead to severe complications and even death.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, accounting for approximately 90-95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes among adults. The good news is that a healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise can minimize the negative effects of Type 2 diabetes and in some cases provide an effective cure!
Key Terms
The following are some key terms that you’ve probably heard thrown around pretty often when you read or talk about diabetes. Knowing what they mean will aid you in your understanding of diabetes, how it works, and what the heck is going on inside your body!
- PancreasThe pancreas functions as both a gland and an organ in the body's digestive system. The pancreas contains beta cells that are the only cells in the body capable of producing insulin.
- InsulinInsulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas and it plays an essential role in the body's metabolism. Insulin causes liver, muscle, and fat tissue cells to uptake glucose from the blood and store it as glycogen. This keeps blood glucose levels from getting too high.
- GlucoseGlucose is a simple sugar and one of the body's primary sources of energy. Elevated levels of glucose in the blood for an extended period of time (hyperglycemia) is not a good thing! When a pancreas is functioning normally, it will release insulin in response to high blood glucose levels (for example, right after eating). The insulin then causes liver, muscle, and fat tissue cells to uptake the blood glucose and store it as glycogen. When the pancreas can no longer produce insulin or when the body is no longer as sensitive to insulin (as in Type 2 diabetes), this glucose stays in the blood. Extended periods of elevated blood glucose levels can lead to complications, such as eye, kidney, nerve, and blood vessel damage, and eventually, death. Blood glucose levels are also commonly referred to as blood sugar levels.
- GlycogenGlycogen is a secondary source of long-term energy, stored primarily in the liver and muscle. Insulin allows glucose to be stored as glycogen.
- GlucagonGlucagon is another hormone produced in the pancreas and it has the opposite effect of insulin; it raises blood glucose levels. When blood sugar levels fall too low, the pancreas releases glucagon which stimulates the liver to break down glycogen into glucose and release it back into the bloodstream. So, you can see, in a properly functioning system, insulin and glucagon work together to keep blood sugar levels in check.
- A1CThe A1C test is a method of determining your average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months. Regular blood sugar tests at home are a great way to keep your day-to-day blood sugar levels in check, but if you want to know how you've been doing over an extended period of time, the A1C test gives you an average. A1C tests are typically performed by your doctor as often as he/she deems necessary (usually twice a year).
