Type I Diabetes: Insulin-Dependent Diabetes

Type I diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. This form of diabetes is mainly found in children. The primary problem in all forms of diabetes, regardless if it is Type I or Type II is that the glucose (sugar) levels of the body are too high.

In a healthy person, the beta cells in the pancreas produce a hormone called insulin in response to sugar in the blood. The sugar gets there through the food and drinks we consume. Normally, the insulin helps to move the sugar from the bloodstream and into the cells of the body where it can be used for cellular processes. The insulin triggers gates located in the membranes of the cells to open, allowing the sugar to flow in.

A person with Type I diabetes can not make enough or any insulin. This produces the abnormally high levels of glucose in the bloodstream seen in these patients.

The question begs to be asked, "Why doesn't the body produce insulin?" In Type I diabetes the culprit is the immune system. Something, whether it be genetic or environmental is still not clear, triggers the immune system to malfunction. Instead of viewing the beta cells of the pancreas as "self", the immune system sees the beta cells as foreign invaders. Doing what it's supposed to do, which is attack and destroy invading cells, the immune system in error attacks the beta cells.

Even though other beta cells can be produced by the pancreas, the speed at which the immune system attacks and destroys is too fast for the pancreas to keep up. Over time the amount of insulin produced in response to sugar in the blood is diminished.

The result is high blood sugar. Insulin shots can control the disease, however, there are currently treatments being studied which may actually stop the immune system from attacking itself which would bring about a natural halt to the problem.

Rachel Dayer runs and operates http://www.mustask.com, a health related portal.

Latest News


TheMedGuru

Genetic Screening May ID Diabetes Risk
WebMD - 15 hours ago
19, 2008 -- Genetic screening can help identify people at risk for type 2 diabetes, but it adds little to traditional methods for determining risk, ...
Gene testing for diabetes risk is not useful Los Angeles Times
Genetic Testing No Real Help in Predicting Type 2 Diabetes U.S. News & World Report
Genetic Screening Offers Little Help for Diabetes Prediction MedPage Today
Health.com - Reuters India
all 26 news articles

Research and Markets: How Adopting Diabetes Protocols and ...
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
The incidence of diabetes in the elderly is reaching epidemic proportions, according to a new study of Medicare claims published last month in the Archives ...

Depression linked to poorer diabetes control
Reuters - 21 hours ago
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depression may make it harder for people with diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels in check, researchers have found. ...
Psychotherapy may help with diabetes control Reuters India
Utah Offers Low-Cost A1C Testing eMaxHealth.com
all 8 news articles

Portrait of a Healthy Family: Pass the Turkey, Hold the Diabetes
MarketWatch - 16 hours ago
WALTHAM, Mass., Nov 19, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- When Yolanda Myers was diagnosed with diabetes at age 17, she was living a lifestyle similar to many ...

Dothan Eagle

U.S. Diabetes care: Costs top $200 billion a year
Sun-Sentinel.com, FL - Nov 19, 2008
TRENTON, NJ - As diabetes is becomes one of the world's most common diseases, its financial cost is mounting, to well over $200 billion a year in the US ...
Study Finds Cost of Diabetes in the United States Exceeds $217 Billion SYS-CON Media
Health Care Marketplace | Diabetes Cost US $218B in 2007, Report Finds Kaiser network.org
Study puts a total on diabetes cost: $218 billion The Associated Press
CNBC - Macon Telegraph
all 221 news articles

VINELAND: VHS student organize diabetes walk
Vineland Daily Journal, NJ - 1 hour ago
The event is designed to educate children and their school community about the growing diabetes epidemic and promote the prevention of diabetes and its ...
ALLEN ASSOCIATES GIFT TO VHS Vineland Daily Journal
all 2 news articles

Scientific American

Cancer Drugs May Treat Type 1 Diabetes
U.S. News & World Report, DC - Nov 18, 2008
18 (HealthDay News) -- Gleevec, a wonder drug that effectively treats leukemia and other cancers, may also reverse type 1 diabetes, University of California ...
2 Cancer Drugs Prevent, Reverse Type 1 Diabetes, Animal Study Shows Science Daily (press release)
Cancer drugs halt type 1 diabetes in mice Reuters
Type 1 diabetes in mice cured with cancer drugs FierceBioResearcher
Scientific American - Nature.com (subscription)
all 39 news articles

Exorcising diabetes
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - Nov 18, 2008
By healthy attitude, activities, patient fights, repels disease By Vikki Conwell A diagnosis of diabetes initially frightened Katrina Johnson, ...
New Study Highlights Rising Number of Type 2 Diabetes Patients in ... Trading Markets (press release)
all 14 news articles

Garlic Chemical Tablet Treats Diabetes I And II, Study Suggests
Science Daily (press release) - 22 hours ago
19, 2008) — A drug based on a chemical found in garlic can treat diabetes types I and II when taken as a tablet, a study in the new Royal Society of ...
American Diabetes Month: Diabetes and your dog Examiner.com
all 13 news articles

UPDATE 1-Elixir Pharma's oral diabetes drug meets trial goal
Reuters - 23 hours ago
Nov 19 (Reuters) - Elixir Pharmaceuticals Inc said a late-stage trial of its oral formulation for diabetes met the main goal of the study. ...
Elixir Reports Positive Results in Late-Stage Clinical Trial for ... Xconomy
Elixir Pharmaceuticals' Phase III Trial of Metformin-Mitiglinide ... MarketWatch
all 12 news articles

Resources