Diabetes mellitus

Diabetes type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. Although it can occur at any age it is more common in people who are overweight, sedentary and over middle age. Glucose is the main source of energy for body cells. When blood sugars levels rise, as is normal after a meal the pancreas gland, located behind the stomach, secretes the hormone insuline. Insuline enters and circulates in the blood and acts on insuline receptors present in muscles, fat cells and other tissues of the body. Binding of insuline to these receptors causes the cells transporters to come to the cell surface, this facilitates the entry of glucose into the cells. In diabetes type 2, the production of insuline is low and sometimes there may be resistence to insuline, the circulating insuline fails to facilitate the absorption of glucose into the cells and to keep the blood glucose level at optimun levels. This results in the rise of blood glucose levels. The excess in blood glucose reacts with proteins in tissues to form what are known as advanced glucation end products or AGEs. AGEs create an inflamatory condition in the vasculatory which causes heart desease and dammages other organs such as the kidneys. Diabetes can eventually cause harm to the heart, arteries, kidneys, nerves, eyes and skin.