Diabetes Mellitus, more commonly known as just diabetes, is a disease where your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or isn’t able to appropriately use the insulin being made by your body. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas by the beta cells in the Islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin by these special cells is regulated by the amount of glucose in the blood. High levels of sugar in the blood can seriously affect other body systems, particularly over long periods of time. There are two main types of diabetes, Type I and Type II.

Causes

The cause of Type I diabetes is genetically based, coupled with an abnormal immune response. The cause of Type II diabetes is unknown. Medical experts believe that Type II diabetes has a genetic component. In Type I diabetes, the immune system, the body's defense system against infection, is believed to be triggered by a virus or another microorganism that destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. In Type II diabetes, age, obesity, and family history of diabetes play a role.

Symptoms

Symptoms for Type I don’t really show up until the destruction of the beta cells is almost complete. Symptoms include frequent urination, excessive thirst, especially for sweet drinks, extreme hunger along with sudden weight loss, weakness, extreme fatigue, visual changes especially blurred vision, and irritability.

Type II diabetes have very similar symptoms including the frequent urination, unexplained weight gain, pain, cramping, unusual drowsiness, frequent vaginal or skin infections, dry, itchy skin and slow healing sores.

Treatment

Treatment of diabetes focuses on two goals: keeping blood glucose within normal range and preventing the development of long-term complications. Careful monitoring of diet, exercise, and blood glucose levels are as important as the use of insulin or oral medications in preventing complications of diabetes.