Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body is unable to produce or effectively use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps glucose, or sugar, get from the bloodstream into the cells. Without insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream and can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and even death.
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that usually develops in children and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and usually develops in adults over the age of 40. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin or does not produce enough insulin.