Glucose is the main fuel used by all cells within the body. Glucose enters cells from the blood with the assistance of insulin. Diabetes is characterized by a cellular resistance to insulin. If the cells are unable to take in glucose from the blood, glucose levels build. This is known as hyperglycemia. If this condition persists, increased pressure is put on the pancreas and a state of cellular starvation can occur. Both can result in further physiological complications, notes the American Diabetes Association.
The American College of Sports Medicine categorizes high blood glucose as a fasting rate of 126 milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dl. A normal blood glucose is considered a fasting rate under 100 mg/dl.
Types of Diabetes
There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational. Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is characterized by a person's inability to produce insulin. Without insulin, glucose cannot enter into the cells. Type 2 diabetes usually begins with a cellular resistance to insulin. In this case, the cells do not respond to insulin or the body is unable to produce enough insulin. Either results in the inability of glucose to provide energy for life. Gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy, says the American Diabetes Association.s
Risk Factors
While there is nothing that can be done to prevent type 1 or gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes is associated with unhealthy lifestyle choices. As stated by the National Institutes of Health, increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes is associated with: obesity, older age, physical inactivity, family history, race, impaired glucose metabolism and a history of gestational diabetes. While this list does include a few uncontrollable risk factors, there are many that can be prevented, says NIH.
Blood Glucose Ranges
Diabetes is detected through an elevated blood glucose. Blood glucose levels are generally checked during a fasting state. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a healthy blood glucose range is less than 100 milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood, or mg/dl. An elevated blood glucose is considered to be a fasting glucose level of 126 or more mg/dl of blood. Hyperglycemia is an extreme case of high blood glucose. Hyperglycemia indicates a blood glucose of 300 mg/dl of blood or more. Signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia include weakness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal tenderness, acetone breath, increased thirst, decreased appetite, soft eyeballs and frequent, scant urination, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Pathophysiology
Hyperglycemia is associated with an inability to maintain blood glucose in the normal range. This is caused by "excessive hepatic glucose production, peripheral insulin resistance, and defective beta cell secretory function," according to textbook author George A. Brooks. If glucose is unable to enter the cells, the reaction of the body is to secrete an increased amount of glucose into the blood. An abundance of glucose is built up in the blood due to the body's inability to transfer glucose into cells as well as this increased secretion.
Complications
According to the American Diabetes Association, any type of diabetes left untreated can lead to myriad physiological complications. These complications span most of the body's organs but most are due to nerve complications. Neuropathy is a painful disorder that occurs when there is damage to the nerves. Most often, neuropathy affects the lower body and feet of a diabetic. Skin conditions such as excessive dryness are common and occur when the nerves responsible for supplying oil to the skin no longer work. There is a greater prevalence of large calluses for people with diabetes. Calluses can often lead to foot ulcers. If neuropathy and poor circulation are excessive, there is a likelihood of amputation. Diabetes also leads to an increase of stroke or heart attack. Higher blood glucose levels cause the blood to become more adhesive and more likely to stick to lesions in the arteries. Another complication is the elevated risk of developing nephropathy, or kidney disease. Hyperglycemia causes the kidneys to filter a greater amount of blood. Eye disorders or blindness can also occur. Cataracts, glaucoma and retinopathy are the three most common eye disorders, says the American Diabetes Association.
Treatment Options
There are several ways to help control blood glucose. The ADA recommends a diet consisting of 50 percent of kilocalories from complex carbohydrates, less than 35 percent of kilocalories from fats, and 15 percent of kilocalories from proteins. Exercise can be successful in treating diabetes, however, any person wishing to begin an exercise program should be cleared by a doctor first. Insulin and other oral and injectable medications are available for treatment. If the pancreas becomes unable to secrete insulin, daily injections are necessary. Other injectable drugs help to stimulate insulin production. Oral hypoglycemic medications can offer the following solutions: stimulate insulin secretion, inhibit excessive hepatic glucose production, delay absorption of carbohydrates in the small intestine, and reduce insulin resistance, according to the American Diabetes Association.
References
- American Diabetes Association Website, (nd) Retrieved August 26, 2010
- "Exericse Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and its Applications"Brooks, George A., Fahey, Thomas D., & Baldwin, Kenneth M. 2005
- Whaley, Mithcell H., PhD, Brubaker, Peter H., Phd, Otto, Robert M., Phd (Eds.). (2006). ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, Seventh Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins.
- National Institutes of Health
