When the production of insulin in the body starts to break down or if enough is not produced, problems will occur. This problem is classed as a disease Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes). There are 2 types of diabetes: type 1, diabetes also referred to as Juvenile- onset diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. This type of diabetes starts at a young age and can cause many complications. The pancreas doesn’t secrete any insulin body this then causes the cues in the body not to accept any glucose, so the cell starts to metabolise. Se the next available energy source proteins and fats in the body (this process is know as gluconecgenesis), which leads to a build up of keto-acids in the body, these lower the PH in the body and this can lead to a person going in to a coma.
Type 1, diabetes can be caused by a genetic disorder where the genetic code for the production of insulin is not present or there is a deficiency in the genetic coding. The reason why this occurs is a person may get a specific virus and when the white blood cells go to destroy it they also destroy any infection and cells, if there is no cells present any insulin can be secreted. Type 2, diabetes is the other type of diabetes that can occur. This is also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes or maturity onset insulin. This type of diabetes is normally seen in lot patients and in obese people. Type 2, diabetes also seems to be passed on genetically. With this type of diabetes, insulin is produced from the pancreas but there isn’t enough or don’t respond receptors on the cells so only small amounts of glucose are taken in by the cells. This type of diabetes can go undetected for a long time and people will hardly notice it. Currently type 2, diabetes is being diagnosed is children a lot more, but this is believed to be linked with obesity. The symptoms are, the same for both types of diabetes mellitus.
The symptoms include:
- Tiredness- unable to concentrate
- Acidosis occurs- affects the PH and enzymes begin to denature.
- Muscle waste ages
- Loss in weight
- Constantly thirsty
Diabetes mellitus cannot be cured (at the moment) but both are treated differently. Type 1, diabetes is treated with regular insulin jabs. Type 2, diabetes can be treated through a balanced diet. In both causes it is best to have a well balanced diet and to eat small amounts regularly. This well balanced diet has to be maintained. During the day the levels of glucose in the body are constantly changing this has to do with the food eaten. After a meal the amount of glucose in your blood will increase, this is where insulin would be secreted in a normal person, but in a person with diabetes this would not occur and the glucose levels would remain high, due to this the cells in the body would shrink due the osmotic properties of the cells. See figure 2
Figure 2 biology 2 book
Legend
This shows how the blood glucose levels differ during the day and what the body does to counter act this.
Diabetic people will have to monitor their own blood glucose levels. The person taking a number of blood samples during the day can do this, they will be able to see if there glucose levels are too high or too low.
Currently advancements are being made to control diabetes or even cure it. A new drug called ISO-1 is said to be a potential cure for type-1 diabetes. This works by blocking the protein that plays a major role in the immune system, which eventually causes the destruction of the beta cells. Using this drug will stop the destruction of the cells, so they can continue to secrete insulin. This has only been tested on mice that were genetically modified so that they would develop diabetes, 90% of these mice did not develop diabetes. It is still awaiting trails in humans. currently people with diabetes are having to have insulin jabs a number of times a day. A new device has been created that makes the diabetics life easier. The pump delivers small amounts of insulin throughout the day so the body can absorb it in to the cells more effectively, so now people can decide when they want to eat and don’t have to schedule it with there jabs. The pump works by pumping small amounts of insulin in to the blood stream throughout the day. It is pumped into the body via a plastic pipe, which is put under the skin near the abdomen. The drug is a potential cure and in a number of years the doctors have said that they can modify the drug so that it can be effectively used in human.
Bibliography
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3) Coster S, Gulliford MC, Seed PT, Powrie JK, Swaminathan R, Monitoring Blood Glucose Control In Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review, 2000
4) Dr Antony Leeds, Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, A Glucose Revolution, 1996
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7) Mary Jones, Jennifer Gregory, Cambridge Advanced Sciences Biology 2, 2001
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