What Are The Causes Of Diabetes and Is It Curable?

Diabetes has many risk factors that are responsible for it's prevalence in the population, but the root cause is not entirely known. What is known is that there is a mutant gene that exists in the people who have diabetes. This gene belonged to long ago ancestors of most all ethnic groups, that helped them to forebear the cycles of lean and fat times. This gene is present in all people who have been diagnosed with this metabolic disease. Therefore, we know that diabetes is genetic in origin. Other causes include:

GeneticsObesity/potbellyStressPhysical inactivityPancreatic infectionsElevated Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels

These causes and risk factors are directly related to diabetes, as well as heart disease.

What happens in the body?

Diabetes is the result of insufficient insulin in the blood stream causing polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and hyperglycemia (elevated glucose level). Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. When glucose levels are elevated, insulin changes glucose into energy that the body can use for fuel.

Inefficient insulin and it's affect on the body:

When insulin is produced but the body fails to use appropriately, it is said that the body is resistant to insulin. A second reaction is when the body does not produce enough insulin to change glucose into energy. In both cases the insulin is inefficient and causes blood glucose levels to rise in the blood. Ideally, insulin is released by the pancreas at this time, changing the glucose into energy, which can then be used by the cells for fuel. This is metabolism and occurs when we eat. Hence, it is a metabolic disease.

If the insulin is insufficient the cells and muscles become deprived of fuel and can not function properly. The body then looks elsewhere for fuel and begins using fat and muscle, causing a breakdown of fat and muscle that produce proteins, or ketones in the urine. These ketones cause the blood to become acidic and toxic, and is usually a good indicator of the presence of diabetes mellitus (DM).

Is it curable?

Presently no, but there are several exciting and experimental procedures being performed that are showing high success rates.

Pancreatic Transplant: For those with uncontrolled Type 1 DM, but have a functioning kidney. Thankfully, these patients no longer need insulin injections to keep them alive. Additionally, their risks for developing complications associated with diabetes is greatly decreased.

Kidney/Pancreas Transplant: Reserved for patients who have substantial kidney failure, as well as uncontrolled Type 1 diabetes. This surgical procedure allows the patient to be free of dialysis treatments and insulin injections. Patients who avoid rejecting their organs in the first year after surgery, have a greater likelihood of non-rejection for 10 years and more.

Islet Transplants: This procedure is currently in clinical trials and involves replacing the bad Islets Of Langerhans with good islets from a deceased donor. Islets of Langerhans are the insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas. The islets are extracted from the donor pancreas and injected into the liver of the receiver. The cells start manufacturing insulin which works to regulate blood sugar levels.

It appears that hope and a cure may be on the horizon for patients living with diabetes. What a great and noble cause to lend your time helping others find a cure, and reducing the risk factors responsible for the causes of diabetes.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT