Humans gain energy from food, and as you may already know, the most vital energy source for us is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down into small oligosaccharides in the digestive system, absorbed into our body, and then converted to glucose in the liver. This glucose spreads throughout the body, supplying energy to cells.

The basic structural unit of carbohydrates is glucose, which we commonly refer to as “sugar.” The sucrose (sugar) we consume is a compound made of glucose and fructose, which are small carbohydrates. Both serve as essential energy sources for our cells.

The Issue with Diabetes Patients Showing Sugar in Their Urine For the body’s cells to absorb sugar as an energy source, insulin produced by the pancreas is essential. Insulin enables cells to absorb sugar and use it for energy. When the beta cells in the pancreas are damaged due to an immune response and fail to produce enough insulin, this condition is referred to as Type-I Diabetes.

Type-I diabetes typically occurs in children or young individuals due to genetic factors, stress, or severe illnesses. If someone has Type-I diabetes, they can live a normal life as long as they take insulin injections from a young age. However, without insulin treatment, even if carbohydrates are consumed, sugar cannot be utilized as energy and instead accumulates in the bloodstream, causing problems.

When sugar builds up in the bloodstream, various complications arise. This happens because sugar in the blood binds to proteins that are critical for the immune system and hormones that regulate metabolism, impairing their function. This weakens immune resistance, allowing bacteria and other pathogens to thrive, leading to complications from diabetes. In essence, the sugar needed by the body ends up becoming toxic.

Type-II Diabetes in Adults Adult-onset diabetes is known as Type-II diabetes. It develops over time due to improper dietary habits, stress, and a lack of health management. In this condition, the body’s cells fail to use insulin effectively, preventing sugar from being absorbed into the cells and used as an energy source. Let’s delve deeper into Type-II diabetes, which often occurs in middle age.

When carbohydrates are consumed:

  1. Sugar is produced.
  2. A signal is sent to the pancreas, triggering the production of insulin.
  3. Insulin signals the cells throughout the body to absorb sugar and use it as an energy source.

When large amounts of carbohydrates are consumed, proportionally large amounts of insulin are needed. The problem arises here: as cells interact with insulin to absorb sugar, they gradually develop resistance to insulin. The more resistant cells become, the more insulin is required to process the same amount of sugar. In other words, while the amount of sugar consumed remains unchanged, the demand for insulin increases. Overeating leaves sugar in the bloodstream for extended periods, where it becomes toxic to the body.

To process and eliminate this toxic sugar, cells demand more insulin. In response, the pancreas produces larger amounts of insulin, which further increases insulin resistance in cells—a vicious cycle that continues indefinitely. As this process persists, the beta cells in the pancreas become overworked, reducing their ability to produce sufficient insulin. Eventually, external insulin supplementation, such as insulin injections, becomes necessary to meet the body’s needs.

When insulin is secreted by the pancreas, several processes occur in the body:

  • Insulin suppresses the activity of cells that break down fat.
  • It also inhibits the liver from releasing fat into the bloodstream. As a result, the unused fat accumulates in the liver, leading to what we call a “fatty liver.”
  • Additionally, any unused sugar in cells is converted into fat and stored within the cells. This fat buildup in the cells causes obesity, characterized by bulkiness without corresponding physical strength.

Diabetes and Vascular Diseases Diabetes is often accompanied by vascular diseases due to the high sugar levels in the blood. When sugar binds to cholesterol in the bloodstream, it hinders cholesterol circulation. If this persists, the risks of heart disease and vascular dementia increase significantly.

Recent academic studies have shown that brain cells die quickly when insulin is lacking in the brain, suggesting that insulin plays a protective role for brain cells. When diabetes worsens and brain insulin levels drop, brain cell damage accelerates. Reports indicate that people with diabetes have more than a 400% higher likelihood of developing dementia compared to non-diabetics. This is a severe concern for individuals exhibiting symptoms of diabetes.

In the next installment, let’s discuss effective ways to manage diabetes.