What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body uses food for energy. When you eat, the carbohydrate found in most foods is changed into a type of fuel called glucose. Glucose circulates in the blood and is the major energy source for the body.

In order for cells in muscles and other tissues in the body to use glucose for energy, a hormone called insulin is required. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, a gland located deep in the abdomen partially behind the stomach. When you have diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin, or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made. Sometimes, a person with diabetes can have both of these problems. When insulin is not doing its job of moving glucose into the cell, glucose builds up in the bloodstream and tissues, and is excreted in the urine. When this happens, the body loses its main source of fuel.

Read more about Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes >