What Is Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?
People with Type 2 diabetes cannot use the insulin they produce or do not produce enough insulin. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes mellitus, it accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all people diagnosed with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes mellitus typically occurs in overweight people 40 year of age or older and comes on more gradually. Type 2 diabetes is approaching epidemic proportions due to a growing prevalence of obesity and sedentary lifestyles in the US and an increased portion of the American population reaching their 40’s.

How Does Type 2 Diabetes Occur?
Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset-diabetes even though juveniles and younger people can be diagnosed with the disease. In the case of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells can not and do not use the insulin properly. For humans, with or without diabetes mellitus, insulin is a necessary component for the body’s cells to be able to use and convert the sugar or glucose to energy. When we eat our digestive system breaks down the food into basic components (like glucose) and passes them into our blood. One of those components is called glucose or sugars. This is where the term blood glucose level comes from. Glucose or sugar is the basic fuel for your body’s cells to operate. Insulin help the process of passing the sugar or glucose from the blood into the cells for energy to operate.

As we read earlier, type 2 diabetes occur when our body cannot use the insulin or there is not enough to insulin process the glucose that is already in our blood. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems. First, our cells begin to starve for the energy they need to function. And second, high blood glucose levels may begin to damage our eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and other parts of the body.

People with type 2 diabetes mellitus cannot process the glucose present in their blood stream without the assistance of insulin of some form. Once diagnosed, it is crucial for people with type 2 diabetes to consult a primary care physician or endocrynologist in order to develope a plan to help manage type 2 diabetes.