When a person eats food, it is digested and broken down into glucose, which is released into the blood stream. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. It is essential for maintaining normal blood glucose levels. It moves glucose made from digested food into the cells, where they are used as a source of energy for various processes in the body. Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are abnormally high as a result of inadequate insulin levels or improper use of insulin.
Excessive Urination
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Diabetes" by M. D. Davidson, Mayer B. Davidson and Debra L. Gordon suggests that one of the early signs of diabetes is the need to urinate all the time. Blood goes to the kidneys where waste products are removed and substances needed by the body are reabsorbed. Under normal circumstances, the kidneys reabsorb glucose. When the amount of glucose in the blood is too much, the kidneys process the excess glucose for disposal in urine. During this process, the glucose inhibits the kidneys from reabsorbing water. This increases the volume of urine made and causes frequent urinating. Dehydration can also occur from loss of too much water via urine.
Increased Thirst
"American Medical Association Guide To Living With Diabetes" by Boyd E. Metzger and the American Medical Association states that extreme thirst is another symptom of diabetes. It occurs in response to the high volume of fluids lost through frequent urinating.
Extreme Hunger and Weight Loss
Hunger and weight loss are both signs of diabetes. In diabetes, the cells are unable to use the glucose in the bloodstream for energy. The feeling of hunger is a way for the body to procure the glucose that it needs. Even though a person with diabetes eats in response to the sensation of hunger, the glucose produced from the food will not be utilized by the cells. Weight loss occurs when the body begins to break down its stores of fats for energy because it cannot use glucose.
Blurred Vision
Diabetes can cause vision changes. High amounts of glucose in the blood, as in diabetes, causes accumulation of glucose and fluid in the eyes. This makes the eye lens swell and leads to vision changes like blurred vision.
Fatigue
People with diabetes tend to get tired easily. This is because the cells do not have access to glucose, which is their source of energy. Due to this, the cells cannot produce energy needed for physical activity.
References
- "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Diabetes"; M D Davidson, Mayer B. Davidson and Debra L. Gordon; 2009
- "American Medical Association Guide To Living With Diabetes"; Boyd E. Metzger and The American Medical Association; 2006
- The Mayo Clinic: Diabetes
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Dictionary: Diabetes Mellitus
