Diabetes is a condition in which insulin, if present at all, doesn't work normally. Insulin is the main hormone in the body that transports energy sources to the body's cells. Without insulin the body's cells are starving. So, untreated diabetes normally leads to rapid weight loss. Untreated diabetes is a very dangerous condition that can cause irreversible nerve and kidney damage.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious condition in which the body doesn't produce or is resistant to insulin. In Type 1 diabetes the pancreas does not produce insulin. In Type 2 diabetes, the insulin that the pancreas produces is not fully functional or the insulin receptors do not transmit the signal from insulin properly. Type 1 diabetes typically is a developmental condition that begins in early childhood, whereas Type 2 diabetes typically is a condition that has a later onset.
The Role of Insulin
Carbohydrates from food sources, such as sugar, bread, pasta, rice, fruit and starchy vegetables, convert into glucose in your digestive system. Glucose enters the bloodstream from the digestive system and can be used as a fuel for the body's cells. When carbohydrates are digested, the blood sugar levels quickly rise and the pancreas responds by secreting insulin. Insulin helps to feed glucose to the cells and store unused glucose as glycogen or fat.
Weight Loss in Diabetes
When diabetes goes untreated, the pancreas does not secrete functional insulin if it secretes insulin at all. So the blood sugar in the blood stream stays where it is or is excreted in the urine. It cannot reach the body's cells or get stored as fat or glycogen. The body's cells then undergo starvation. The body reacts to that by metabolizing the body's energy stores. This leads to weight loss.
Consequences of Insulin Weight Loss
When the body's cells are starving, the liver first breaks down and releases its stores of glycogen into the bloodstream. It then breaks down fat into glycerol and fatty acids. Most of the body's cells can use fatty acids as an energy source. The brain cannot. But it can use ketone bodies, a byproduct from the liver. So, the body can continue to function for a while without insulin. But the glucose that remains in the blood stream cannot stay there permanently. So, the kidneys slowly get rid of it in the urine. Over time this process can lead to kidney failure, and the glucose that stays in the blood stream can cause damage to nerve cells, including cells in the eyes. Damage to cells in the eyes can cause blindness.
