Type II Diabetes – Causes ? What How & Why !
Dealing with Type 2 diabetes means you need to understand the underlying causes. With a healthy system, the body turns food into glucose and sends it to the body’s cells. The body’s cells use this glucose as energy. In order for the cells to convert the glucose, the pancreas releases insulin as needed. Insulin migrates to the cells and there it helps convert glucose into energy the cells can use. That is how everything should work.
In those that have Type 2 diabetes, something is not working properly. The cells of the body begin needing more and more insulin to convert the same amount of glucose. This condition goes by the name of insulin resistance. For a short while, the pancreas increase production to keep up with the increased demand. However, at some point, the pancreas cannot keep up the pace. That is when the glucose levels begin to rise in the blood stream. After awhile, the body cannot deal with the elevated glucose levels.
Now, what causes the insulin resistance that leads to Type 2 diabetes? Most usual causes are obesity and lack of physical activity. In fact, it is the reason for over 90% of new cases diagnosed every year. Recent research may have uncovered one reason why obese people have such a high prevalence of the disease. Using mice, researchers found a new hormone produced by fat cells. They dubbed this new hormone, resistin. In mice that were obese, the amount of resistin in the blood rose dramatically. In mice that were not, the amounts were far lower. It is possible that Resistin increases the body’s cells resistance to insulin effects. Why or how this happens is currently unknown. Research is ongoing at this point.
Genetics definitely play a role in Type 2 diabetes, however. Children with parents that have it are very likely to develop it themselves. With the right diet and exercise, most can avoid the consequences of the disease even if they have a genetic predisposition towards the disease. What are some other causes? Aging is another risk factor for developing the disease. Those over 45 have an increasing risk. Anybody over 65 have a substantially higher risk of the disease. Other links to those developing this form of diabetes include a history of gestational Diabetes, polycystic ovary disease, or cardio and vascular disease. Having knowledge is the first step to successfully managing and treating this disease.

