The Role of Insulin in Your Body

Medical experts have identified several different types of diabetes, but they all have one thing in common. A diabetes diagnosis means insulin — a key hormone your body makes — isn’t working how it should. 

Living a healthy life with diabetes means applying treatment to correct the insulin problem. That varies depending on the type of diabetes you have and your unique health situation. As a diabetes expert, Dr. Peymon Zarreii can help at Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics in Delray Beach, Florida.

Before we dig into diabetes treatment, though, let’s take a quick look at what insulin is and how it works. 

Insulin 101

Your pancreas makes insulin and then releases it for your body to use after you eat. That way, the sugar (glucose) in your blood from foods and drinks can be converted into a fuel source for your cells. Insulin makes this conversion happen, allowing your body to move sugar from your bloodstream into your cells. 

Insulin problems in type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Insulin issues aren’t consistent across different types of diabetes.

Instead, a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes means your pancreas can’t make insulin. Your body simply doesn’t have a way to produce this key hormone.

Type 2 diabetes is different. With this condition, your pancreas still makes insulin, but then your body resists the hormone as it tries to convert blood sugar into fuel for cells. In other words, all the components are there, but they don’t work together the way they should. 

This insulin issue doesn’t spring up overnight. Instead, type 2 diabetes arises over time. Unhealthy food choices and a lack of physical activity often play a role in this specific insulin problem.

Correcting for insulin issues

With type 1 diabetes, you need insulin injections to give your body the ability to convert blood sugar into cell energy. You can’t take insulin as a pill because your body would break it down during digestion. 

With type 2 diabetes, you may need insulin injections or medication to improve your body’s insulin sensitivity or increase insulin production. That said, you may be able to make lifestyle changes that help your body use insulin better. Eating healthy, getting active, and losing weight all go a long way here. 

Dr. Zarreii tailors a diabetes management plan to you, your type of diabetes, and how your body interacts with insulin. To get a personalized care plan that helps keep healthy blood sugar levels, schedule an appointment by calling our office or booking your visit online today.