Type 2 Diabetes

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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

Diabetes is caused by a problem in the way your body makes or uses insulin. Insulin is necessary for glucose to move from the blood to the inside of the cells.

Unless glucose gets into cells, the body cannot use it for energy. Excess glucose remains in the blood, and is then removed by the kidneys. The symptoms inlcude excessive thirst, frequent urination, hunger, and fatigue.

There are several types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes, which requires total insulin replacement in order to live because the body does not make adequate amounts
• Type 2 diabetes, which is related to insulin resistance (lack of the ability of the body to respond to insulin appropriately) and is often accompanied by obesity and high cholesterol
• Gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy

Diabetes affects up to 6% of the population in the U.S. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of all cases.

A main component of type 2 diabetes is "insulin resistance". This means that the insulin produced by your pancreas cannot connect with fat and muscle cells to let glucose inside and produce energy. This causes hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).

To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin. The cells sense this flood of insulin and become even more resistant, resulting in a vicious cycle of high glucose levels and often high insulin levels.

Type 2 diabetes usually occurs gradually. Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight at the time of diagnosis. However, the disease can also develop in lean people, especially if elderly.

Genetics play a large role in type 2 diabetes and family history is a risk factor. However, low activity level, poor diet, and excess body weight (especially around the waist) significantly increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.

Other risk factors include:

• Race/ethnicity; African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Native Americans all have high rates of diabetes
• Age greater than 45 years
• Previously identified impaired glucose tolerance by your doctor
• High blood pressure
• HDL cholesterol of less than 35 and/or triglyceride level of greater than 250
• History of gestational diabetes