Basic metabolic changes in Diabetes Mellitus

Previously on Wellness and I the disorder of Diabetes Mellitus or DM was explained. But as mentioned earlier DM is the metabolic disorder and it largely determines how your body will function there after. Today I will share how to understand DM by knowing about its metabolic changes in the body.
DM as mentioned earlier occurs due to inadequate or complete lack of insulin hormone from the pancreas. This in turn leads to accumulation of glucose molecules in the blood as duely explained previously. This alone changes the original metabolism of our body, but forcing the cells to look out for other sources of energy already stored or easily available in the blood. There are 3 major energy producing biomolecules our body can utilize, viz carbohydrates or sugars, protein or protein molecules and fats. So now due to the unavailability of glucose for the cell it is forced to burn either the fat or the protein whichever is easier. Our body is also a smart piece of engineering designed to save itself first and burn out for the last and that is why it will go for fat deposits in the body before it can burn protein molecules as they are vital for basic functioning of the organs and tissues. However burning up fats doesn't seem to happen completely in the body and it leaves behind at the end of the metabolic cycle keto acids or by products that are not metabolised properly to be ridden from the body. If they start accumulating it can go on to be fatal for the brain and liver. There comes this time where the body can choose to metabolise protein molecules if there isn't enough fatty deposits in the body, this causes rapid increase in the blood acidity and muscle wasting which then weakens the already energy depleted body. As muscle and bone protein form the basic structure of the body if they get utilised to run the body energy station can you imagine how weak our basic structre would become?

You must now wonder if all this is a natural option chosen by our body if it becomes diabetic or doesn't secrete insulin enough how is it that people suffering from it before being diagnosed appear and live so normally without having problems? Let me throw some light on that one again as I mentioned earlier the body doesn't let it all go untill it can't handle the situation anymore, so its obvious why the symptoms aren't out there for all to see at first. But yes if ignored all hell can easily break loose to the outside. Another part of the metabolic change is the blood content that changes with the growing sugar content and rapid increase in the acidity. The requirement for the water content due to increased solutes in blood shoots up leading to increase in thirst constantly. Due to the breakdown of fats and some protein in the body with the lack of sugar content the body constantly craves for nutrients and hunger pangs increase in rapid succession. The depletion of energy deposits lead to loss of body weight. The idea to keep the metabolism in control is to first get a calculated diet plan and follow it to the TEE as there isn't any other choice and get your medication on time. Controlling the hunger and the wastage of the body can go a long way in dealing with the basics of metabolic changes in diabetes.
There is more on metabolism that we need to understand in diabetes which will follow in the next post.

Wish you wellness,
Neha Wasnik
R.D