When you consume any food containing carbohydrates, your digestive system breaks them down into simple sugars, passing glucose into the bloodstream. Glucose is the primary fuel for the body, and cells need this sugar to power their basic functions and keep organs working properly. The body's management of glucose in the bloodstream depends on a hormone called insulin.
Insulin
When glucose enters the bloodstream through digestion, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to deal with the sugar. Under normal circumstances, insulin triggers cells throughout the body, causing them to absorb glucose from the blood and store it for energy. Once the blood glucose level drops, insulin production drops off in preparation for the next meal.
Type 1 Diabetes
In some people, the cells in the pancreas that create insulin are missing or defective, producing little or no insulin. This can leave high amounts of glucose in the blood, a condition known as hyperglycemia. If untreated, this can lead to breakdowns in the body's tissues, diabetic coma and even death, according to the American Diabetes Association. People with this condition must take insulin injections regularly to keep them healthy.
Hypoglycemia
If too much insulin enters the bloodstream, usually due to an incorrect dosing of insulin, blood sugar levels can drop to dangerously low levels, causing hypoglycemia, as the body stores all available sugars. Hypoglycemia can trigger dizziness, headache, drowsiness and nausea symptoms, and if left untreated, unconsciousness. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, diabetes patients should always carry at least 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate with them for emergencies to prevent hypoglycemia.
Insulin Resistance
Unfortunately, the modern diet is often one that includes more sugar than necessary. An excess of carbohydrates means a larger-than-normal amount of glucose in the blood, forcing the pancreas to produce larger amounts of insulin to deal with it. Over time, this excess insulin can cause the body's tissues to develop a resistance to the hormone, mimicking the effects of low insulin production despite the pancreas producing the proper amount.
Type 2 Diabetes
If insulin resistance progresses over a long period of time, the body's resistance can grow to a point in which excess glucose becomes life-threatening. Prolonged high blood sugar levels can lead to a host of complications, including damage to eyes and other organs, an increase in opportunistic infections, and cardiovascular problems. Those with this condition must take medication to lower blood glucose levels, and can further treat their conditions by increasing the amount of exercise they get and eating healthier, lower-carbohydrate meals.
