We often hear about the insulin deficiency of diabetes patients, but what exactly is the function that insulin carries? At South Plains Rural Health Services, our expert healthcare provider staffers explain exactly what it is and why it is so important for our bodies.
NRG 1010: What Is Insulin?
To begin with, insulin is a type of hormone. Hormones are part of the endocrine system, they are chemical messengers that coordinate different functions in your body. In the case of insulin, it is created in the pancreas and it allows your body to use sugar (glucose) to regulate energy. As a chemical messenger, this essential hormone transports the sugar from your blood into cells in the body. Apart from that, it also helps break down fats or proteins for energy.
The higher the level of glucose, the more insulin is produced so as to balance the sugar levels in your blood. Glucose comes from the food and drinks you consume. At the same time, your body naturally releases stored glucose, called glycogen. Now, if glucose were not to reach the cells, it builds up in the blood, which leads to high blood sugar or diabetes. Why might this happen? Some people’s immune systems attack the clusters of insulin in the pancreas, which results in a deficiency to produce the hormone.
If this deficiency would turn into a complete lack which prolonged through time, this would lead to a life-threatening complication called diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA).
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How Was Insulin Discovered?
You know what they say, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” By learning the history of insulin and diabetes, we might clear some doubts that may arise in the present day.
In the age of antiquity, Egyptian physicians had already made advances in the field of medicine and left behind written records of their practices and procedures. In fact, it is believed that the first reference to diabetes exists in the Ebers Papyrus, which mentions remedies for the treatment of excessive urination.
Fast forward to the ancient Greeks, and the Hippocratic writings mention signs and symptoms of diabetes. One of Hippocrates’s disciples, Galen, discussed diabetes in a number of works. His description said it was rare, and referred to it as “the thirsty disease.” A contemporary of Galen called Aretaeus was the first to use the term “diabetes,” which derived from the Greek word for siphon.
In the Middle Ages, in the 11th and 12th centuries, Moses Maimonides, a renowned medieval physician, rabbi, and philosopher shed light into the affection. But it wasn’t until Thomas Willis that diabetes was diagnosed because of the presence of sugar in the urine and blood. In fact, he claimed that it was a disease of the blood and not the kidneys.
This revolutionary claim evolved until Paul Langerhan discovered the pancreatic islets in 1869, although he didn’t know what their function was. However, this helped speed up investigation, and in 1889, Oskar Minkowski proved the connection between the pancreas and diabetes in dogs, which became a turning point in determining the endocrine function of the pancreas.
In 1921-22, Sir Frederick G Banting, Charles H Best and JJR Macleod at the University of Toronto discovered and isolated insulin. And the rest is history, as they say.
What Types of Diabetes Are Caused by a Reduced Level of Insulin?
- Type 1 diabetes: When the immune system attacks your pancreas’s islets, this can lead to type 1 diabetes. With time, it can lead to a total lack of natural insulin.
- Type 3c diabetes (secondary or pancreatogenic diabetes): There are certain conditions, like chronic pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis, which can lead to pancreas damage that results in diabetes.
- Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA): Similarly to Type 1, it is the result of an autoimmune response.
- Insulin resistance: some people don’t respond as they should to insulin, which may result in Prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or Gestational diabetes (developing during pregnancy), which usually goes away once the baby is born.
Talking about Insulin Function and Diabetes
Diabetes is a life-threatening condition that should be taken very seriously. However, for many people it might be difficult to recognize it. Beware of the following symptoms, as described by the CDC:
- Frequent urination, often at night
- Abnormal thirst
- Unwanted weight loss
- Feeling overtly hungry
- Having blurry vision
- A numbing sensation on your feet or hands
- Constant tiredness (remember, it regulates energy!)
- Slow healing
- Frequent infections
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, we strongly recommend you book an appointment with one of our physicians at South Plain Rural Health Services and check your insulin levels. It can be the first step into your path to managing the condition.
You can set up a visit to get your levels checked at any of our Texas locations in Levelland, Lamesa, or Big Spring. Call today or pick an appointment time with our online scheduling tool.
South Plains Rural Health: Caring for your family, growing with your community.