• Question: Does diabetes lower life expectancy? and if so, why?

    Asked by Allab2012 to Jess on 15 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Jessica Groppi

      Jessica Groppi answered on 15 Mar 2016:

      Hi Allab,

      Yes, if left untreated diabetes can lower life expectancy and sometimes also kill.

      In some people the body is not able to produce an ormone called insulin, which regulates the amount of sugar (glucose) in blood. The excess of sugar in the blood build up in the organs causing malfunctions. Some really bad consequences of untreated diabetes are blindness, kidney failure and sometimes limbs have to be amputated.

      Nowadays diabetes can be treated really easily : healthy diet, plenty of water, and the occasional dose of insulin are the main way of fighting the side effects of diabetes.

      There is a lot of research going on aimed to the treatment of diabetes. I myself have been working on the development of sensors for glucose in blood: devices that with just one drop of blood can tell if the patient needs to take insulin or if they can eat a cookie.

      Jess.

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