Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disorder caused by a lack of insulin or a loss of
responsiveness to insulin. It can result from incomplete development of, damage to, or disease
of the islets of langerhans, the endocrine portion of the pancreas whhich secretes insulin
Type 1; usually occurs suddenly in childhood. it appears to be an
autoimmune disease; cells from the immune system attack beta cells in
the islets of langerhan, destroying a persons ability to secrete insulin
Type 2; usually occurs later in life. It is often caused by a gradual loss in the
responiveness of cells to insulin, but it can also be due to an insulin deficiency
Most people with type 1 diabetes are treated with insulin injections. Insulin
cannot be taken orally, because, being a protein it would be digested in the
alimentary canal. Insulin used to be obtainable only from non-human sources, but
recombinat DNA technology has made human insulin available
Most type 2 diabetics can control their blood glucose concentration by
carefully regulating their diet and exercise. These people tend to become
less responsive to insulin as they age. this can be ofset if necessary by
injecting insulin