Diabetes Information

Double Diabetes -- Placing Your Kids at Even More Risk


In some medical circles it's called Type 3 Diabetes. Teenagers and young adults diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, if overweight or obese, can develop type 2 diabetes later in life. It's a double whammy and the medical consequences of such a diagnosis don't look good.

First, let's briefly cover the basics of diabetes.

Diabetes is Elevated Blood Glucose Levels

Higher than normal level of glucose in the blood is diabetes. Glucose is the main energy source for the brain and nerves and comes from digesting carbohydrates. Because of its importance as an energy source, glucose blood level is normally kept within a narrow range.

Two hormones help to keep glucose in this normal range. First, there is insulin. Insulin is released by the pancreas as glucose levels rise after a meal. It promotes the uptake of glucose by muscle cells. Second, is glucogon. This hormone causes the release of glucose out of energy stores during fasting. The insulin to glucogon ratio helps to stabilize the normal levels of blood glucose.

Two Types of Diabetes

In order to have consistently high blood glucose levels either insulin production and/or release from the pancreas is defective or the muscles don't respond to insulin when it is released.

Juvenile or Type 1 Diabetes -- Insulin production is defective. Most often detected early in life. These patients require insulin shots.

Adult Onset or Type 2 Diabetes -- The muscles don't respond to insulin. In this case, glucose stays within the blood and not in the tissues. The early stage is called Insulin Resistance. Type 2 is associated with being overweight or obese.

The Atypical Type of Diabetes -- Double Diabetes or Type 3

A young man who has type I diabetes, if he does not follow a proper diabetic diet and an exercise program, could develop type 2 diabetes on top of his type I diagnosis.

This is a fear turned into reality for many type I diabetics and their families. The Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh states that 25% of children with type I diabetes are showing features of type 2. The main feature shared by all of these children...obesity. Dr. Dorothy Becker, a pediatric endocrinologist and leading double-diabetes researcher, feels the numbers will continue to climb.

And an ongoing study to determine the best treatment for children with type 2 diabetes is also uncovering many kids who harbor antibodies that signal they have or are developing the type 1 form.

No matter which type of diabetes came first in a child, it makes treatment that much harder for everyone involved. So what is the best treatment?

Treating Type 3 Diabetes

The best treatment for type 3 diabetes is prevention. Children, with or without diabetes, must exercise. Toning and building muscle tissue is the only effective way to protect against type 3 diabetes.

Strong muscles are metabolic active and able to uptake glucose as expected when insulin is released into the blood. Parents, start a supervised and doctor approved workout program with your children. Something tells me that we may need a strong future.

To Healthy Living!

Michael A. Smith, MD
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website

Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for the Diet Basics Website, a content rich weight loss site dedicated to the on-line dieter. Please visit his site at Diet Basics.


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC News

Twofold Action Urged for Pre-Diabetes
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Pre-diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels or impaired glucose tolerance is elevated, but not quite to the point defined as diabetes. ...
Diabetes Experts Recommend One-Two Punch for Treating Patients ... MarketWatch
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The two companies began collaborating in January 2007 to develop and sell two investigational drugs for type 2 diabetes, saxagliptin and dapagliflozin. ...
Bristol-Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca submit market clearance ... RTT News
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AstraZeneca says submits application in US and EU for saxagliptin ... Hemscott
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Ontario Now

Diabetes expert lauds insulin pump coverage
London Free Press, Canada - Jul 22, 2008
By JOHN MINER, AND NEWS SERVICES The Ontario government decision to start paying the cost of insulin pumps for adults with Type 1 diabetes was applauded ...
Ontario to invest $741 million in diabetes treatment and prevention The Canadian Press
Ontario zeroes in on diabetes NorthernLife.ca
Ontario Will Pay For Insulin Pumps For Adult Diabetes Type 1 Patients Medical News Today
Peterborough Examiner - AHN
all 69 news articles


Latino Diabetes Association Launches New Website
Newswire Today (press release), UK - 13 hours ago
New Website Features a Health Blog to answer Diabetes related questions by Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants or Doctors. Diabetes is one of the ...


Glass of juice a day increases diabetes risk
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 18 hours ago
Researchers found women who drink a glass of fruit juice every morning may be 18 per cent more likely to get type two diabetes, the kind normally triggered ...


Pre-diabetes must be treated, doctors urge
USA Today - Jul 22, 2008
Diabetes experts created the first recommendations Tuesday for the treatment of people with pre-diabetes in the hopes of curbing the diabetes epidemic. ...


Santarus to promote Depomed diabetes drug
CNNMoney.com - Jul 22, 2008
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Santarus Inc. said Tuesday it agreed to promote Depomed Inc.'s diabetes drug Glumetza in the US, and will pay Depomed up to ...
Depomed Gets $12M Up Front in Diabetes Deal with Santarus Therapeutics Daily (subscription) (press release)
Santarus and Depomed Announce US Promotion Agreement for GLUMETZA ... Business Wire (press release)
Santarus, Depomed reach promotion agreement for Depomed's Glumetza ... RTT News
all 17 news articles


Researchers develop gameplan to treat pre-diabetes
KARE, MN - 10 hours ago
That gap is what doctors call "pre-diabetes." "Somebody with pre-diabetes usually has absolutely no symptoms and they may not even know they're at risk," ...


Health Science Center diabetes researchers form partnership with ...
Bizjournals.com, NC - Jul 22, 2008
Diabetes researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have agreed to collaborate with Metabolon Inc. in a new partnership ...


The Money Times

Diabetes drug maker Amylin posts wider second-quarter loss
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - Jul 22, 2008
By Terri Somers The expense of developing a once-weekly version of its diabetes drug, Byetta, led to a wider second-quarter loss, Amylin Pharmaceuticals ...
Anemic Amylin's Signs of Recovery Motley Fool
Amylin posts wider second-quarter net loss guardian.co.uk
Amylin posts wider Q2 net loss Business Spectator
all 18 news articles

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