Diabetes is a metabolic disorder. It alters the way our bodies digest food. Normally, most food is broken down into glucose, a sugar that serves as the main source of fuel for the body.
Glucose moves through the bloodstream and is delivered to cells throughout the body, which use it for growth and energy. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose to get into the cells so they can use it.
Usually, the pancreas creates just enough insulin for this transaction to work. Diabetes, however, causes the pancreas to generate insufficient insulin or insulin that the cells don't respond to. As a result, an excess of glucose builds up in the bloodstream, into the urine, and exits the body. Without absorbing the glucose, diabetics lose the main source of fuel for their bodies.
This information has been adapted from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.
