Diabetes and insulin

Secreted by the pancreas, insulin is a hormone that helps glucose move from the bloodstream and enter the cells of the body. The absorption of glucose, as it is known, is essential because the glucose is the primary source of energy for the cells of the body. If a person has insufficient insulin, blood glucose will rise to abnormal levels, which, over time, can damage organs.

Insulin resistance occurs when cells of the body become insensitive to insulin. People who have this condition require extra insulin to overcome resistance and to maintain normal levels of glucose in the blood. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are conditions in which insulin can properly move glucose into the cells energy, either because of a lack of insulin, or cellular insulin resistance. This creates two problems: high blood glucose levels and a depletion of glucose stored, a source of major fuel of the body. The causes of type 1 and type 2 are different.

With type 1 diabetes, most of the body (the beta cells of the pancreas) insulin-producing cells have been destroyed. This limits the amount of insulin available to use or store glucose from food. Therefore, all individuals with diabetes type 1 need to take extra insulin to control their blood glucose levels.

With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas can produce insulin, but several situations can occur. The pancreas produces insufficient amounts, or the body is resistant to the insulin or does not an optimal use thereof.

Diet, exercise and various drugs orally may help the body uses his insulin shortly more effectively. For this reason, additional insulin is less often necessary to control type 2 diabetes, especially in the early stages of the disease. In fact, according to the CDC, only 28% of people with diabetes type 2 take insulin.

However, there is a catch. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, meaning that the beta cells to degrade over time. Finally, the actual insulin - injection, pen insulin or insulin pump - may be necessary.

A health professional is probably the best person to assist a patient to assess if he or she needs insulin. If Hgb A1C a patient (a test that measures average blood glucose over the past months) is more than 8%, there is good chance that he or she would have to take insulin.

Some health professionals believe that patients with A1C 7% should be on insulin, if they do not respond to oral medication or a new class of medication called GLP-1. If Hgb A1C a patient is greater than 7%, he or she may want to ask a doctor how to reduce below 6.5%, or 7%, the level targeted by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American Diabetes Association, respectively.

Dr. Richard M. Bergenstahl, Executive Director of the International Diabetes Center in Minneapolis, said that more than people with diabetes type 2 should take insulin. Insulin may be the oldest treatment of diabetes, but it remains the most effective for those who have high Hgb A1cs which cannot be reduced by other means (drugs by oral or based therapies GLP - 1).

Unfortunately, many people with type 2 diabetes avoid taking insulin because they perceive as a kind of personal failure. It is not the case. Time passes, any person suffering from type 2 diabetes will suffer a loss of function of the beta cells, and to a certain point the insulin will be necessary. The problem is with the disease, not the patient. If a person has need of insulin to maintain normal glucose levels, it should be taken.

Many people with diabetes are concerned to take insulin. They don't realize that insulin can help improve their management of diabetes greatly and that drugs can make them feel better. In United States, about 66% of patients with type 2 diabetes not their blood glucose (blood sugar) goals. Talk to a provider of health care to try to achieve or maintain these objectives of insulin.