L5 - Diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes (born with it)

  • Pancreas doesn't produce any insulin
  • Untreated type 1 diabetics are not taking insulin so blood glucose will be extremely high after eating carbohydrates
  • Glucose is not stored as glycogen and glucose present in urine (if untreated)
• Type 2 diabetes (linked to obesity)

  • The body cells don't respond to insulin
  • Blood glucose remains high despite insulin being released. This is because the liver cells don't respond to the insulin
  • Usually present in older people who are overweight
• Diabetes treatments:

  • Insulin injections - Type 1
  • Metformin tablets (makes body cells respond to insulin again) - Type 2
  • Diet low in carbohydrates - Both
  • Regular exercise - Both
  • Pancreatic tissue transplant (insulin made in pancreas) - Both
• Benedict's solution is used to test urine for glucose. The Benedict's solution is mixed with urine and heated strongly.
• Benedict's solution:

  Glucose present (positive result) = brick red
• Benedict's solution:

  Glucose absent (negative result) = blue