A common symptom of diabetes is unplanned weight loss caused by the body's inability to produce enough insulin needed for fat storage and glucose conversion.
Types
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease with symptoms typically beginning in childhood and young adulthood. Type 2 diabetes effects adults and children and is caused by poor diet and exercise, obesity or family history of the disease. Gestational diabetes may arise in pregnant women due to hormone and weight fluctuations.
Significance
A healthy functioning pancreas produces the hormone insulin so that sugar can be stored in fat, muscle and liver cells and can be converted into energy by the body.
Function
A lack of insulin or insulin-resistance in diabetics prevents glucose from being stored and used by cells, causing it to stay in the bloodstream. Diabetics lose weight as the body begins to compensate for sugar by breaking down fat and muscle to feed energy depleted cells.
Misconceptions
Insulin is not just a glucose-lowering hormone, as it is also needed for fat storage. Without insulin, the body becomes unable to store fat, resulting in rapid weight loss.
Identification
In addition to weight loss, symptoms of diabetes include excessive hunger and thirst, fatigue, mood swings, frequent urination, increased infections and blurred vision.
Prevention/Solution
Diabetics and pre-diabetics can benefit by implementing daily exercise routines and nutrient-rich meal plans in combination with frequent glucose monitoring and regular insulin injections if needed.
Tags: weight loss, needed storage, Type diabetes
