In some people, pancreatic parenchymal degeneration occurs as the aging and diseases occur. Gradually, the so-called disappear in it. pancreatic islets (Langerhans islands) - containing beta cells that produce insulin.
Aging causes degenerative processes in the pancreas that produces insulin
In adolescents, the quantitative ratio of beta cells to other cells in the pancreatic is 4: 1, and in people aged 80-90 - 2: 1. Proportionally to the disappearance of pancreatic beta cells, the amount of insulin produced by them decreases - necessary to obtain energy from food. Statements made during the control measurement of glucose in the blood - its critical excess (which results in the first place from insulin deficiency!) - means the detection of diabetes.
Diabetes is now recognized by the most popular glucometer:
- when the fasting glucose level in double measurement exceeds 126 mg / dl (7.0 mmol / l)
- when the plasma concentration in an accidental measurement is greater (or equal to) 200 mg / 100 ml (11.1 mmol / l) and there are typical symptoms of diabetes mellitus.
Let us add that the level of glucose in the blood is called glycemia. Hence, we are talking about normal and abnormal glycemia. The unit of blood glucose is 1 milligram of glucose in 100 milliliters of blood, i.e. in one deciliter (abbreviated as 1 mg / dl) or according to, current trend - 1 millimol of glucose per 1 liter of blood (abbreviated as 1.0 mmol / l)
Chronic pancreatitis and diabetes
The criterion of diagnostic alertness should also be the chronic pancreatitis.
The consequence of chronic pancreatitis is the progressive failure of beta cells and pancreatic islets (the island of Langerhans). In the course of pancreatitis, in particular due to enzymatic self-destruction, the pancreatic beta cells are destroyed - which causes the development of type 1 diabetes - requiring insulin injections.
In older people and obese people the greatest threat to health is the increasing insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means loss of sensitivity of muscles, fat, liver and practically all tissues of the body to insulin, which flows to the pancreas with blood. If fat cells, muscle cells, and liver cells that process intensely glucose, become insulin-resistant, then they are less likely to pick up glucose from the blood and react less to it. As a result, normal amounts of insulin cause a much smaller than expected effect of obtaining energy from glucose. This phenomenon is primarily related to endogenous insulin, ie its own insulin - this is the case in type 2 diabetes, which causes about 90% of all diabetes. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the pancreas practically no longer secretes its own insulin. Then, the analogical insensitivity of tissues to injectable insulin is called cellular insulin resistance.
Causes of insulin resistance
Apart from the aging processes, the cause of insulin resistance is also genetic determinants, which are transmitted to nearly 20% of patients in families with diabetes. In addition, culprits include: obesity, decline in physical activity and reduction of muscle mass, other diseases, physical and emotional stress, injuries, infections, medications (eg diuretic, corticosteroids, phenytoin).
Often when you get older - you get obesity - the cause of type 2 diabetes
A recognized cause of increasing insulin resistance is abnormal eating habits, sedentary lifestyle and the natural consequence of this - obesity. Obesity leads directly to insulin resistance in people initially predisposed and to the simultaneous manifestation of type 2 diabetes. It is very worrying that this mechanism applies to younger age groups.In some countries, pediatricians report a real epidemic of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents.
