Diabetes mellitus is a lifestyle disease that is typified by high levels of blood sugar in the human body, usually over a long period. Currently, it is ranked 7th globally as a top cause of death. In a research conducted by Yuan et al. (2019), the findings demonstrate that 8.8 percent of the population worldwide suffered from diabetes. The disease can be categorized further into three types according to their causes. Type 1 diabetes is caused by insufficient production of insulin, type 2 diabetes results from body cells fail to properly react with insulin, and the final type is gestational diabetes, which is a condition characterized by high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. The symptoms of diabetes mellitus include increased frequency of urination, abnormal thirst, and an upsurge of appetite. The condition can lead to other complications like blurred vision, reduction of cognitive abilities, and heart diseases. The disease can be prevented by maintaining healthy diets, regular exercises, and keeping one’s body weight in check. It can also be managed by taking the appropriate medication. Diabetes mellitus
While the body is in constant need of glucose to ensure all its organs function properly, extremely high or low levels of glucose could affect the normal functioning of the body. Low blood sugar levels could result in cellular death, while high blood sugar levels could lead to organ failure and damage. Therefore, there is a need to maintain blood sugar levels at an acceptable equilibrium, which is approximately 5mM (Paschou, pg. 5). Blood sugar production and utilization are controlled by insulin and glucagon hormones, which help to keep the equilibrium. Insulin is produced by the beta cells in the pancreas, while glucagon hormone is produced by the alpha cells. Insulin prevents the production of hepatic glucose, while glucagon initiates the conversion of the stored glucose into sugar for utilization in the bloodstream. Diabetes mellitus
