Homeostasis and Diabetes
By: Rachelle Zalter
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 is targeted mostly in children and
type 2 targets the other 90% of diabetic patients. Both of them deal with a lack of
insulin, a hormone that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. The body is trying
to regulate the sugar and blood levels in order for cell respiration to occur. This is the
process in which the body uses a specific amount of oxygen and glucose to produce
carbon dioxide, water, and ATP. When the pancreas is unable to produce a sufficient
amount of insulin the glucose in their bodies cannot be converted into glycogen. When
dealing with diabetes, there is a negative imbalance with homeostasis, considering
there is not enough insulin being produced in the body. A negative feedback occurs
when the output of a system opposes the input of a system, resulting usually in a
stable environment inside a person's body. A person without diabetes will sustain
negative feedback and homeostasis, considering the glucose will increase and
decrease at regular levels, the pancreas receptors will form insulin sufficiently, and the
glucose will convert to glycogen. It is when this negative feedback fails that the glucose
levels in the body rise dramatically, thus diabetes is the result. The imbalance is
caused by the pancreas. Its job is to monitor glucose levels in the blood, in order for
cell respiration to occur. However, when a person is diabetic the pancreas can either
not produce enough insulin (type 2) or it cannot produce any insulin whatsoever (type
1). This results in the build up of glucose inside the body, as it cannot be converted
into energy. This will affect the body in many ways. In type 1 diabetes, the patient will
often urinate multiple times in the course of a day and will become unusually thirsty.
Also, a person with diabetes may experience a change in their weight, extreme fatigue,
or recurring infections. Additionally, being diabetic also puts your health at risk in terms
of your heat, your eyes, your kidney, and even your feet. Luckily, there are many
solutions that are suitable for all types of diabetes. Physical activity on a regular basis
and eating cautious portions, as well as making healthy decisions, will help lower and
manage the body's glucose levels and allow the diabetic to live a longer, healthier life.
It is crucial for a person with type 2 diabetes, especially, to maintain a healthy weight.
Type 1 diabetes is always controlled and treated with insulin, and, fortunately,
injections nowadays are fast and painless. Type 2 diabetes occasionally requires
medications or insulin to control the body's blood glucose more effectively. Diabetes is
linked to blood pressure and a person with diabetes should make sure that their levels
are below or at 130/80in order to prevent eye disease, heart disease, kidney disease,
and stroke. More than 9 million Canadians are living with diabetes, or prediabetes,
today; however, even with this regulation problem, there are solutions that are
available to maintain homeostasis in the body.
Work Cited
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30 June 2011. <http://www.biology-online.org/4/3_blood_sugar.htm>.
"Diabetes Facts." Canadian Diabetes Association. 2011. Web. 30 June 2011.
<http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/what/facts/>.
"Diabetes and Your Body." Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Web. 30 June 2011. <http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/diabetes/body.html>.
"Negative Feedback." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 30 June 2011.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_feedback>.
"Sugar Homeostasis - Biology Online." Life Science Reference - Biology Online. Web.
30 June 2011. <http://www.biology-online.org/4/3_blood_sugar.htm>.