Created with financial backing from Vertex Pharmaceuticals. This video forms part of an editorially independent special report.
Narrator: Have you considered how your body transforms food into energy, or the intricacies involved in this vital process?
When food is consumed, the glucose derived is stored in the liver as glycogen.
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Depending on our body’s requirements, the liver converts glycogen back into glucose, allowing it to be transported through the bloodstream to our cells, which subsequently convert that glucose into energy.
At the same time, our pancreas secretes a hormone known as insulin, which signals our cells to absorb that glucose from the bloodstream.
This action also makes insulin a crucial regulator of our blood sugar levels, helping to avert complications that can arise when those levels are too high or too low.
When the pancreas ceases to produce insulin, glucose is unable to enter our cells, leading to its accumulation in the bloodstream.
In some individuals, insulin production by the pancreas stops entirely.
This condition is referred to as Type 1 Diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes is sometimes labeled as juvenile diabetes, as it frequently manifests during childhood or adolescence.
While the precise cause remains elusive, it is understood that the disease occurs when immune cells mistakenly attack and destroy the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.
As these beta cells are obliterated, insulin production halts, eliminating this essential regulator of blood sugar levels.
Consequently, this can lead to various symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness.
Elevated blood glucose levels prompt the body to find ways to expel excess sugar, which may lead to frequent urination.
This further necessitates the extraction of water from other body areas, such as the skin and eyes, resulting in dry mouth, dry skin, and vision changes.
Individuals may also experience intense thirst as their body indicates a need for more hydration.
Persistently high blood sugar levels can also impair blood circulation, hindering the body’s ability to heal injuries and wounds.
Some individuals may suffer from a form of nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy, which can cause numbness or discomfort in areas like the hands or chest.
Our historical understanding of diabetes dates back thousands of years.
Ancient documents from India and China referenced a peculiar condition characterized by urine with a sweet taste.
Various historical texts noted other symptoms, including excessive thirst and rapid weight loss.
One of the earliest mentions of the word “diabetes” appears in the second century C.E. by the Greek physician Aretaeus, who explained the term was derived from the Greek verb diabaino.
This term translates to “I pass through,” alluding to the frequent urination associated with the condition.
In his writings, he observed that while the onset of this condition might take a long time, those affected could succumb to it very quickly once it developed.
For treatment, he recommended a diet of cereals, milk, and wine.
Despite these early recognitions of diabetes, it would take centuries for the medical community to grasp the condition well enough to mitigate its fatality.
In the 17th century, English physician Thomas Willis expanded the term to “diabetes mellitus.”
The addition of “mellitus” stemmed from the Latin word mel, meaning honey, to reiterate the sweet-tasting urine associated with the condition.
In 1776, physician Matthew Dobson identified the sweetness in urine to be due to the presence of sugar.
Over the ensuing centuries, scientists uncovered the organs and substances responsible for the excess sugar.
In the 19th century, Claude Bernard highlighted the liver’s crucial role in regulating blood sugar levels.
A few decades later, Joseph von Mering and Oskar Minkowski exhibited that removing a dog’s pancreas resulted in the onset of diabetes.
Not long after, Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer suggested that diabetes was due to a deficiency in a specific chemical produced in the pancreatic islets, which he named insulin, drawing from the Latin word “insula,” meaning island, to honor those islet cells.
However, the actual discovery of insulin is attributed to Frederick Banting and Charles Best, who in 1921 discovered they could reverse diabetes in dogs by introducing pancreatic cells from healthy dogs.
They later collaborated with James Collip and John Macleod to purify insulin from cow pancreases. In 1922, a 14-year-old boy, Leonard Thompson, received one of the first insulin injections for diabetes management.
He managed to live for another 13 years before passing away from pneumonia.
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, advancements in technology have rendered Type 1 diabetes manageable.
These developments include devices for monitoring blood glucose levels and pumps for administering small quantities of insulin.
With improvements in design and technology, these devices have become more compact and portable.
Despite these significant progressions, researchers continue in their quest for a cure for Type 1 diabetes.
The story of Type 1 diabetes illustrates our journey from a previously lethal condition to one that is manageable.
As scientists advance their research, they bring forth hope and the possibility that this illness may one day be completely curable.
Created with financial backing from Vertex Pharmaceuticals. This video forms part of an editorially independent special report.
