Endocrine Connection
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas, a gland behind the stomach, does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the body cannot use insulin properly. Insulin helps carry sugar from the bloodstream into the cells. Once inside the cells, sugar is converted into energy for immediate use or stored for the future. That energy fuels many of our bodily functions.
The body produces glucose from the foods you eat. The liver also releases sugar when you are not eating. The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which allows glucose from the bloodstream to enter the body’s cells where it is used for energy. In type 2 diabetes, too little insulin is produced, or the body cannot use insulin properly, or both. This results in a build-up of glucose in the blood.
People with diabetes are at risk of developing serious health problems (complications). If your blood glucose level stays too high for too long, complications can include:
- Blindness
- Kidney disease and failure
- Nerve damage which can result in nerve pain or injury to the feet or other extremities without feeling pain
- Heart attacks (with or without symptoms)
- Stroke
There are three blood tests that can be used to check the levels of glucose in your blood and diagnose prediabetes or diabetes:
- Fasting Blood Glucose Test (FBG): Blood is drawn in the morning after you go without food overnight or for at least 8 hours.
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT): This test is also done in the morning after going without food overnight or for at least 8 hours. Blood is drawn before you drink 8 ounces of a sugar solution and 2 hours after. This test is more precise but less convenient than the FBG test.
- Hemoglobin A1C Test (A1C): This test shows what your average blood glucose levels have been over the past 3 months. You can eat and drink normally before the test.
If you are living with diabetes, lifestyle is an important part of your care. It is very important that you eat a good balance of real foods every day and exercise regularly. Managing your diabetes also means taking medicine, if needed, and testing your blood sugar levels each day.