What Causes Diabetes

Who gets diabetes and what are the causes of diabetes

Presently diabetes is the third leading cause of death in the United States . Overall, according to the American Diabetes Association , diabetes affects an estimated 18,200,000 people and there are another 15,000,000 not yet diagnosed, just in the United States alone and researchers continue to explore the underlying causes of diabetes to discover more effective therapies.

This disease involves multiple casual factors and medical aspects. To understand who gets diabetes of what are the major causes of developing diabetes, first we have to know how elevated blood sugar level affects our body that results diabetes and its types.

Cause statistics for Diabetes according its types

Blood glucose levels change continuously in response to exercise, diet, physical and psychological stress, infection, accident, hormonal changes, and particular medical conditions. Blood glucose is the main source of fuel for our body and insulin is the hormone made by pancreas, which helps beta cells take for glucose they need. Insulin is required to control blood sugar levels .

People develop diabetes for two reasons:

•  Immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce enough insulin for the body's needs. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. It causes the diabetes type 1.

•  Pancreas can make some insulin, but not enough, and insulin that is produced does not work properly. Eventually, glucose builds up in their blood and causes many symptoms of diabetes type 2.

•  Glucose Intolerance during pregnancy because of high blood sugar and birth of large babies cause Gestational diabetes

Increasing age and obesity is a significant risk factor and cause for type 2 diabetes, as it is commonly found in people of 40-65 years age. Some genetic predispositions are also considered as the causing factor of diabetes.

Some other causes of diabetes

• Ethnicity, culture and geographical atmosphere also can cause a greater risk of developing particular type diabetes, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Japanese Americans have greater risk of type 2 diabetes development.

• A recent study has identified that depression and stress may be a reason to increases the risk of diabetes as these mental conditions plays a role in insulin resistance that elevate diabetes. However, theses causes may only make symptoms of diabetes worse in people who already have diabetes but cannot develop diabetes.

• Some other causes can also induce diabetes, as certain diseases of the pancreas, but they are all very uncommon. Diabetes can also result from other hormonal disturbances, such as excessive growth of hormone production (acromegaly) and Cushing's syndrome, but these are very rare causes of diabetes.

• Environmental factors, such as certain types of viral infections or a nutritional factor in childhood or early adulthood may also trigger diabetes. Primary aldosteronism, ovary cysts, overactive pituitary gland, overactive adrenal glands and some other underlying conditions can cause diabetes complications.

• Other unusual causes of diabetes are abnormally high levels of adrenal cortical steroid, pregnancy, medication, and poisonous substances that affect the production of insulin resulting in high blood sugar levels.