Diabetes, also called diabetes mellitus (mellitus comes from the Latin word mel meaning honey) is a type of metabolic disorder. Metabolic disorders are conditions concerned with the ability of the body to digest food and produce energy.
As food is digested it is broken down into a form of sugar called glucose. Glucose is the main source of energy for the body. After digestion, the glucose enters the bloodstream with the help of insulin.
Insulin is a hormone which is produced by the pancreas, one of the body’s endocrine as well as exocrine glands. As food enters the body, the pancreas automatically releases the correct amount of insulin to allow glucose to move from the bloodstream into the cells. This has the effect of lowering the blood glucose level.
People with diabetes may suffer from hyperglycaemia or high blood glucose levels. It is sometimes caused when the body does not produce enough insulin to reduce blood glucose levels. It may also be caused if the body does not respond correctly to the insulin produced by the pancreas. In either case, the extra glucose builds up in the blood and is eventually excreted or passed in the urine. Unfortunately, the glucose is then not available for the body’s energy needs.
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