Column 1
Insulin
a hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans, which regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes.
Antibodies
Antibodies are specialized proteins that are part of the immune system. They are created when an antigen (such as a virus or bacteria) is detected in the body.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes have unusually high blood glucose levels while pregnant. The symptoms usually dissipate after delivery, but women who have gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later on.
Pancreas
The pancreas is an organ of the endocrine system. A specific area of the pancreas, the islets of Langerhans, produces the hormone insulin.
Blood Glucose
The blood sugar level, blood sugar concentration, blood glucose level, or glycemia is the measure of glucose concentrated in the blood. The body tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis.
Autoimmune Disorder
If you have an autoimmune disorder (also called an autoimmune disease), your body’s immune system turns against itself and starts to attack its own tissues.
Glucose
Glucose is a sugar that the body uses for energy. In order to use it properly, your body must have enough of the hormone insulin.
Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes, also called glucose intolerance, is when a person has high blood glucose levels, but they aren’t high enough yet to be diagnosed as diabetes. Pre-diabetes is an early sign of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance (when the body doesn’t use insulin as well as it should) is another pre-diabetes sign.
Hemoglobin A1C
Glycated hemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that is chemically linked to a sugar. Most monosaccharides, including glucose, galactose and fructose, spontaneously bond with hemoglobin when present in the bloodstream.
Bolus Secretion (Bolus Insulin)
After we eat, the pancreas releases the right amount of the hormone insulin to process the carbohydrates in the meal; that’s the bolus secretion. People with type 1 diabetes must take a form of insulin that replicates the bolus secretion; that’s bolus insulin.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is when you have too much glucose in the blood.
Protein
Protein is a source of energy (as are carbohydrates and fat). Protein is found mainly in meat and beans.
Beta cells
Beta cells, are specialized endocrine cells located within the pancreatic islets of Langerhans responsible for the production and release of insulin and amylin. Constituting ~50–70% of cells in human islets, beta cells play a vital role in maintaining blood glucose levels.
Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus is the full name for diabetes, but most people refer to it as just diabetes.
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia is when you have too little glucose in the blood.
Fat
Fat is an energy source for your body (the other two energy sources are carbohydrates and protein).
Glucagon
Glucagon is a hormone made by the pancreas. It raises the blood glucose level, so it counteracts the effects of the hormone insulin.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
Diabetic ketoacidosis (abbreviated to DKA) is a very serious condition. It occurs when there is no insulin to help the body use glucose for energy. Glucose builds up in the blood, and the body turns to fat for energy. As the body breaks down the fat, ketones are released, and when too many of those build up in the blood, it makes the blood acidic. If you don’t get immediate treatment for DKA, it can lead to a coma or even death.
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is when the body doesn’t respond as well as it should to insulin. It’s an early sign of type 2 diabetes.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are one of the three main energy sources for the body (the others are fat and protein). Your body breaks down carbohydrates to get glucose, which then provides energy to the body.