Overview

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that characterized by an excess of blood (glucose) sugar levels. The cell needs glucose as the source of its energy. But the glucose can not easily enter the cells because the glucose has large molecule. When the insulin is present, it will open the door on the cells through biochemical reactions and let the cell takes up the glucose. Exception for the liver, because it does not need insulin, it can take up the glucose without insulin. The conclusion is every cell in our body excluding the liver, needs insulin to take up the glucose.

Now we know that glucose can not enter the cells easily. The cells need insulin to take up the glucose. When there is impairment in insulin production and/or insulin action, the blood sugar levels will increase. Without insulin the cells are surely starving and the body will try to overcome this situation by increasing the blood sugar levels through hormonal reactions (via glucagons, etc), but that effort is futile because those glucoses still cannot enter the cells even there are so many glucoses. The cells won’t give up easily, they will use fat as alternative fuel and due to fat metabolism, keton bodies are produced and accumulated. When the blood sugar levels exceeding 180 mg/dl, the glucose will be excreted to urine so it can be detected in the urine.

The cause of diabetes is still unknown, but there are many of risk factors that plays role such as genetics and environmental factors.