Type 1 Diabetes: General Information on the Biology of the Disease

In order to better understand you disease, it helps to know some general information about what is happening to cause you to have Type 1 Diabetes. It can sometimes be less scary to deal with a disease when you actually understand the science of it. Diabetes in general refers to high blood glucose levels because there is not enough insulin produced. Insulin is one of the key regulator's of the body's metabolism. The following list of steps will help you to further understand what is happening in your body.

• During and immediately after you eat a meal, digestion breaks carbohydrates down into sugar molecules, like glucose and proteins into amino acids.
• Right after the meal, glucose and amino acids are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, and blood glucose levels rise.
• The rise in blood glucose levels signals important cells in the pancreas, called beta cells, to secrete insulin, which pours into the bloodstream. Within 20 minutes after a meal insulin rises to its max level.
• Insulin enables glucose to enter cells in the body. Here, insulin and other hormones direct whether glucose will be burned for energy or stored for future use.
• When insulin levels are high, the liver stops producing glucose and stores it in other forms until the body needs it again.
• As blood glucose levels reach their peak, the pancreas reduces the production of insulin.
• About 2 - 4 hours after a meal both blood glucose and insulin are at low levels, with insulin being slightly higher.