Outline
Introduction
Metabolic diseases are classified as any diseases or disorders that disrupt normal metabolism, converting food to energy (Enns, 2019). Defining this through our body’s internal state, metabolic diseases are often caused due to less regulation of Thyroid hormones in our body which may contribute to reduced metabolism.
Diabetes is the most common metabolic disease targeting over 400 million people worldwide. If left untreated the prolonged effects of this disease are considered to be life-threatening, millions have already lost their lives suffering from this illness.
What Happens In This Disease?
Diabetes generally causes high blood sugar. If an individual has diabetes their bodies either cannot make enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin that has been made by the body.
There are 3 main classifications of this illness which are: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
When an individual has type 1 diabetes there is little to no production of insulin happening in the body and thus, individuals need to take daily insulin injections to maintain their blood sugar levels.
Type 2 Diabetes
However, if an individual has type 2 diabetes their bodies become insensitive to the insulin that is being produced by the beta cells. At first, individuals may not be required to take injections as it can be treated with oral medications and lifestyle changes but as the illness progresses people may need to take insulin injections.
Gestational Diabetes
The least common type of diabetes is gestational diabetes which involves high blood sugar during pregnancy and is associated with complications to both the mother and the child.
Oftentimes, gestational diabetes is seen to go away soon after the delivery and if it does not go away the diabetes is then considered to be type 2 diabetes. If left untreated each of these classifications come with prolonged effects which can greatly harm an individual’s health both mentally and physically.
What Causes Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes occurs when an individual’s immune system begins to attack and harm the pancreas’ insulin-producing beta cells. The exact cause of this type of diabetes is yet to be known, however, research shows that it is heavily linked to genetics and environmental factors.
Moreover, scientists state that Gestational diabetes is caused by hormonal changes of pregnancy along with genetics and lifestyle factors.
There are several causes for type 2 diabetes of which the most important is an individual’s lifestyle and genetics. Genetics is seen to play a great role in the development of type 2 diabetes as there is a far greater chance of developing the disease if any one of your parents has it. Even though an individual's genetics play a big role in the development of type 2 diabetes, lifestyle factors tend to be a more crucial aspect.
Some of the lifestyle changes that affect the development of type 2 diabetes include:
Activity levels: Lack of physical activity puts one at a greater risk. Physical activity helps control weight, and it uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin.
Food Consumption: Consuming a diet high in fat, sugar, calories, and cholesterol increases your risk of diabetes.
Weight: Lack of exercise and unhealthy food consumption can lead to obesity, or make it worse. Being overweight creates a higher risk of becoming insulin resistant and can also lead to many other health conditions.
Common Symptoms
Various symptoms are seen in individuals during the prediabetic stage and the early stage of diabetes but oftentimes, the symptoms are overlooked by many. If an individual identifies their symptoms during the pre-diabetic stage they can reverse the effects and may even stop themselves from getting diabetes.
Some of the most common symptoms seen in the prediabetic and early stages of this disease include:
Increased thirst and urination
Constant hunger
Being easily fatigue
Blurred vision
Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands
Unexplained weight loss
What Happens If Diabetes Is left Untreated?
If left untreated, diabetes can lead to devastating complications, such as heart disease, nerve damage, blindness, kidney failure and it may lead to lower limb amputation. Research has shown that adults with diabetes are at a 50 percent higher risk to die than adults without diabetes (Campell, 2015).
Treatments and Lifestyle Changes
At this time there is no definite cure for diabetes. However, there are various things that individuals can do to reduce symptoms and avoid the prolonged effects which come with the disease. The most common form of treatment used to control type 1 diabetes is insulin, medications are usually used in type 2 diabetes.
Some of the most common lifestyle changes individuals can begin implementing to reduce the symptoms and control their diabetes include:
Having a healthy diet: it is medically recommended to limit the number of carbs you eat and incorporate more whole foods, lean protein, and healthy fats into your diet if you have diabetes.
Being physically active. Do some sort of activity for at least 30 minutes every day.
Sources
Mullur, Rashmi, et al. “Thyroid Hormone Regulation of Metabolism.” Physiological Reviews, American Physiological Society, Apr. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4044302/#:~:text=Thyroid hormone (TH) regulates metabolic,80, 127, 143).
“Diabetes.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes#:~:text=In 2019, an estimated 1.5,high blood glucose in 2012.
Watson, Stephanie. “Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention, and More.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 27 Feb. 2020, www.healthline.com/health/diabetes.
“Type 2 Diabetes Causes.” EndocrineWeb, www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/type-2-diabetes-causes.
“Metabolic Disease.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/science/metabolic-disease.
“Diabetes.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/health-topics/diabetes.
Campbell, Holly. “Costs and Consequences of Not Treating Diabetes.” The Catalyst - A PhRMA Blog, catalyst.phrma.org/costs-and-consequences-of-not-treating-diabetes.
Comments