When a person eats any food, the body breaks it down and produce glucose which acts as a fuel for the energy required in running the body. Due to increase in glucose, the pancreas starts producing insulin which allows the cells to consume the glucose present in the blood stream. But sometimes, a disorder happens when the cells don’t respond to insulin or the body stops producing insulin and the glucose remains in the blood stream and devoid the body of essential energy.
This problem is termed as diabetes mellitus. The type1 diabetes mellitus is usually registered in children who are born with immune defects (body doesn’t produce or responds to insulin). And then, eating more sugar triggers the diabetes problem. It is also termed as juvenile diabetes.
The symptoms of this disease include weight loss, increase in hunger (polyphagia), increase in thirst (polydipsia) and frequent urination (polyuria). The high glucose can cause tiredness and also damage the organs of the body.
The causes of this disease are not fully determined. Different people are diagnosed due to different reasons. But frequent studies show that many environmental and genetical factors can be contributed with type1 diabetes mellitus. Different genes can cause the problem in beta cells (source of insulin) which result in type1 diabetes.
As there is no permanent cause for type1 diabetes, there is no perfect cure for this disease. But the replacement of insulin required through artificial methods (inhalers, pumps or injections) is the primary treatment for this disease. Also, the diet of the patient is managed and constant check on the blood glucose level is maintained.
If the disease becomes very severe, then the last option which people consider is the transplant of pancreas. This method is more dangerous than the insulin replacement sessions and is always used when the glucose levels reach dangerous heights or the kidneys are also being transplanted. Also, many research programs are searching for methods where the beta cells can be replaced with other insulin producing agents.
by on 22. Jan, 2010 in type 1 diabetes
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