today’s topic : diabetes biology investigation project presentation

Today’s Topic : Diabetes

Biology Investigation Project Presentation

What is Diabetes ??

Topic : What is Diabetes ??

• Diabetes : a condition in which the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood is too high

• 2 types of diabetes : Diabetes mellitus & Diabetes insipidus

• Medical name : Diabetes mellitus

• The body cannot use glucose properly and

• The body is neither able to produce nor properly use insulin also

• Diabetes can be fatal

• There is no cure for diabetes yet


• Insulin : The only hormone whose function is to reduce the blood sugar level in human body (also called “Miracle medicine of diabetes”)

• Produced by the pancreas, that helps the glucose to enter the cells where the glucose is used as "fuel" by the body

The main symptoms :

• 1) Increased thirst

• 2) Going to the toilet all the time (especially at night)

• 3) Extreme tiredness

• 4) Weight loss

• 5) Blurred vision, etc.

Suspected cause of diabetes :

• 1) Genetics

• 2) Environmental factors ( Obesity and lack of exercise)



Statistical Data

• All over the world :

• Approximately 150 million people suffer from diabetes mellitus nowadays

• This number may be doubled by the year 2025 as it is predicted by WHO, and most of this increase will be occurred in developing countries

• In China :

• Less than 5% of the diabetes patients suffer from type I diabetes

• About 95% of them suffer from type II diabetes


In the USA :

• About 17 million adult and children Americans are diabetic

• Close to a third of them may not know they have diabetes

• The reason is diabetes can develop gradually over many years (often with no symptoms)

Topic : Types of Diabetes

Types of DiabetesTwo types of Diabetes :

• 1) Type I : The insulin-dependent diabetes

• 2) Type II : The non-insulin-dependent diabetes


Type I Diabetes : Reduced insulin production

Normal person : Normal level of insulin production

Type II Diabetes : Increased insulin production due to fewer receptor sites

Topic : Type I Diabetes

Type I Diabetes• Deficiency : Patient’s body stops making insulin or make

only a tiny amount

• Glucose cannot get into the somatic cells of the patient without insulin

• Overtime, high level of glucose in the blood may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or even heart

• Most occurrence : Under the age of 30


Symptoms of type I diabetes :

• Frequent urination

• Constant hunger

• Constant thirst

• Weight loss

• Weakness

• Fatigue

• Edginess

• Mood changes

• Nausea

• Vomiting

Cause of type I diabetes :

• Beta cells of the pancreas fail to produce insulin (but it is still a mystery as to why the beta cells fail to the first place)

• Most people with type I diabetes have high levels of auto-antibodies which are antibodies that have “gone bad”

• Auto-antibodies attack your body’s own tissues and may also attack insulin and the cells produce it


Type II Diabetes

Topic : Type II Diabetes

• Deficiency : Patient’s body produce normal or even more insulin but the cell’s receptor sites are defective or there are not enough of them, then the cells do not accept the insulin (“insulin resistance”)

• Glucose cannot get into the somatic cells of the patient as the influence of insulin to the cells is not enough

• Patients with type II diabetes might inject insulin but does not depend on it to live (Not the major treatment)

• Overtime, high level of glucose in the blood may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or even heart again

• Most occurrence : Over the age of 40


Symptoms of type II diabetes :

• Frequent urination

• Constant hunger and thirst

• Weight loss

• Dry, itchy skin

• Blurred vision

• Tingling or numb hands

• Weakness

• Fatigue

• Infection of skin, gums, bladder or vagina that keep coming back or heal slowly

Cause of type II diabetes :

• Type II diabetes is closely related to the genetic make-up of one’s family, that it usually runs in families

• Many people with diabetes are overweight

Type II diabetes is common in people who :

• 1) Eat too much fats

• 2) Eat too little carbohydrate & fibre

• 3) Get too little exercise


Detection of Diabetes

Topic : Detection of Diabetes

There are many methods, including :

1) Glucose tolerance test

• Performed early in the morning after the patient has not eaten anything

• First a fasting blood sugar sample is taken

• Then a patient was given 75 grams of glucose to ingest carry out the half-hour test, one-hour test, two-hour test…..


The table showing normal results of the glucose tolerance test

Test Normal results / mg percentFasting blood sugar test Below 110half-hour blood sugar test Below 160 – 180One-hour blood sugar test Below 160 – 180Two-hour blood sugar test Below 140Three-hour blood sugar test Below 110Four-hour blood sugar test Below 110Five-hour blood sugar test Below 110


2) Fasting plasma sugar test

• Can be done at home by patient or by doctor

• The blood of patient will be drawn and tested it by an in-house glucose analyser if it is done by doctor

• The blood sample will be drawn with a needle stick in the patient’s finger by the patient himself and then tested it by a glucose meter

• Positive Result : 200 mg percent or above on 2 separate occasions of 2-hour glucose tolerance test, this indicates that the patient is probably suffered from diabetes


3) Other methods

Other methods of diagnosing and detecting diabetes

includes :

• 1) Urine sugar test

• 2) After eating (postprandial) blood sugar test

• 3) Random plasma glucose test

• 4) Steriod glucose tolerance test.

Topic : Management and Control of Diabetes

Management and Control of DiabetesThere are several ways to control and manage the type I

insulin-dependent diabetes as listed below :

• 1) Take insulin such as insulin shots, insulin pump replace the insulin that do not make in pancreatic cell

• 2) Pursue a positive attitude

• 3) Do regular exercise

• 4) Do blood plasma test


There are several ways to control and manage the type II

non-insulin-dependent diabetes as listed below :

• 1) Take the HCA (Hypoglycemic Agents)

Principle behind HCA :

• 1) Make the body more receptive to insulin

• 2) Keep the body from converting fats into carbohydrates

• 3) Slow down the formation of cholesterol and triglycerides


Advantage of regular exercising :

• 1) Benefit to the cardiovascular system

• 2) High blood pressure control

• 3) Glucose control

• 4) Increased muscle strength and flexibility

Topic : Risk factors of Diabetes

Risk factors of DiabetesThere are many risk factors of diabetes, including :

• 1) Age

• 2) Persistent overeating of sugary food

• 3) Obesity

• 4) Low levels of physical activity

Others minor factors including :

• 1) Family history

• 2) Race

Control of Lifestyle

Topic : Control of Lifestyle

There are many methods, including :

1) A balanced diet

• It is important to have a balance diet for patients who suffer from diabetes

• Carbohydrates : 50-60%

• Fats : limited to 30%

• Protein : 10-20%

• Fibre : 25-50%

Topic : Control of Lifestyle

2) Minerals and vitamins

• People who have diabetes would also have a high chance of death due to heart diseases

• The intake of vitamins C helps to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease

• The intake of vitamins D helps to improve the dry skin condition

• The intake of calcium helps to regulate the blood pressure

Complication of Diabetes

Topic : Complication of Diabetes

There are many complications of diabetes, including :

• 1) Heart attack

• 2) Blood vessel diseases

• 3) High blood pressure

• 4) Kidney diseases

• 5) Eyes diseases (retinopathy)

• 6) Foot diseases

• 7) Skin diseases

• 8) Dental diseases

Topic : Complication of Diabetes

• 9) In men :

- Impotence (Erectile dysfunction)

• 10) In women :

- Delayed Menarche

- Unpleasant symptoms like depression, headache, etc.

- Confusion with the symptoms of menopause

- Reduced intensity of sexual response

Things related to Diabetes

Topic : Things related to Diabetes

Diabetic patients can keep their blood sugar levels low by eating foods which have low levels of fats andcarbohydrates, or those with low Glycemic Index. What is the "Glycemic Index (GI)"?

• It is simply a numerical ranking of foods based on their immediate effect to raise your blood sugar

• It measures how fast the carbohydrate of a particular food is converted to glucose and enters the bloodstream

• It is a simple index : A food with a high number enters the bloodstream faster than one with a lower number

• One who sticks to the foods with small GI and one’s blood sugar level can be lowered

How does a Low Glycemic Diet work?

• All carbohydrates are not the same• Some "gush" into your blood stream and boost your blood

sugar level, others just "trickle" in slowly keeping it low.• Choosing the “slower” ones instead of the “faster” ones is t

he secret to make the diet work.• For example : instant mashed potato (GI-86) will raise your

blood sugar more than twice as much as an equal serving of converted rice (GI-38).

• One sticks to foods with a low GI and you will lower your average blood sugar level for the day. Also people can lose weight more easily by doing the same.


Authors : Mandy Chan, Fion Tao and Alan Ng

Today’s Topic : Diabetes

Biology Investigation Project Presentation

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today’s topic : diabetes biology investigation project presentation

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