Causes of Diabetes March 2006

I thought that writing about the causes of diabetes would be rather simple. I
opened up the several books recommended to me by my diabetes nurse
educators and they discussed what diabetes is, how it is diagnosed, how it is
treated. Not one of the books discussed what causes it. Ok, so I go to my books
on alternative treatment of diabetes – same thing. Next, a web site search.

Most of them say basically the same thing – they describe the physiological
situation, and then say “we don’t know what causes it.” So, if the world’s leading
experts don’t know the cause, what can I add to this abundance of information?
Not such a simple subject, but let’s see where it goes.

Both Type 1 and Type 2 can be defined as follows: “Diabetes is a disease in which
there is too much glucose in the blood due to insufficient or ineffective insulin”
( Diabetes for Canadians for Dummies ). This elevated glucose level leads to risk of damage to the body.

Type 1/Insulin Dependent – is an auto-immune disorder where the body’s immune
system produces antibodies destroying the beta cells in the pancreas, leaving it
unable to produce sufficient insulin to meet the body’s needs.

Type 2/Non-insulin dependent – the cells of the body are unable to utilize insulin
so more is produced (insulin resistance), but not everyone with type 2 is insulin
resistant. What is common in Type 2 is eventually there is a reduced output of
insulin as the beta cells wear out.

The key question then becomes what causes these situations in the first place.
And this is what there is no absolute answer to. There are many variables, many
theories, and different things are relevant for different people.

Firstly, one must have a genetic predisposition for any thing to happen, regardless
of the situation. In addition to genetics, any of the following contribute to diabetes
NOTE: none of these proposals have anything to do with eating too much sugar or
a bad diet.

Type 1 is suspected to be the result of infection with a specific virus or bacteria;
exposure to chemical toxins; or exposure as a very young infant to cow's milk.
The foreign body invades the pancreas, and in the susceptible person, the
autoimmune reaction is triggered. Even though the beta cells can and do
regenerate, continued immune system attack prevents resolution of the diabetic
state.

Type 2 is usually, but not always, related to increased weight and a relatively
sedentary lifestyle, which stress the body. Certain vitamin and mineral
deficiencies also lead to insulin resistance. Type 2 is related to ‘metabolic
syndrome,’ which means there are other metabolic things occurring at the same
time - elevated blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, reduced ‘good’ cholesterol
and a larger abdomen/increased weight. It is possible the same thing is
contributing to all these factors.

Just to add to the issue, other things are known to cause diabetes. Some drugs
such as steroids, some of the newer anti-psychotics, and some blood pressure
medicines (dilantin) cause diabetes. Streptozocin (anti-cancer), and thiazide
diuretics, are known to be toxic to the beta cells of the pancreas as well.
Conditions involving hormones can also lead to diabetes – Cushing’s syndrome,
several disorders of the pituitary or adrenal glands, hyperthyroid, and tumors in or
destruction of the pancreas. Several syndromes can also elevate glucose levels,
which if maintained for a long enough time, can lead to diabetes. These are
Prader-Willi Syndrome, Down's Syndrome, Progeria Syndrome, and Turner's
Syndrome.

In laboratory studies of diabetes, diabetes must first be induced in rats to study
the effects of drugs, treatments or interactions. This is usually done by
introducing one or more of several drugs that are known to knock out the
pancreas. This is of concern since these drugs are part of our lives. Frequently,
they use the drug alloxan, known to be toxic to the beta cells through its
breakdown into a variation of uric acid, causing damage to DNA in the beta cells.
This is alarming since alloxan is also added to processed white flour in North
America as part of the bleaching process. Each time we eat a product made with
this product, if combined with our genetic predisposition and/or other factors, it
destroys a little more of our beta cell production. The destructive effects of
alloxan can be reduced with vitamin E supplements. Streptokinase (dissolves
vascular clots) and streptozotocins (anti-cancer treatment) are also used to induce
diabetes in lab animals.

Additionally, if we look to other systems of medicine, we find other unusual
perspectives of causation. In ancient Chinese medicine, diabetes is a result of
significant congestion of the liver and spleen. The liver is said to be related to
anger, and the spleen to worry/anxiety. In mind/body medicine, diabetes is said to
be related to worry, sadness, bitterness, deep dissatisfaction or a wondering of
‘what might have been,’ a feeling of loss of control in life, often related to a
specific trauma prior to diagnosis. Emotionally starving to death. There may be a
physiological logic behind these unusual approaches. Dr. Candace Pert (Molecules
of Emotion), formerly of the NIH, has shown that our negative emotions are stored
within the body as amino acid chains, which then affect our DNA, bringing out the
best or worst held in our genetic structure. The body can see the negative-
emotion amino acid chains as something foreign, and attack, thus activating our
immune system. It does not seem as though there is any one single simple
explanation of what causes diabetes. There are many variations, all combined with
a genetic predisposition, which must get triggered by a sufficient event. Which
event sends our body over the edge, is dependent on our own individual
strengths and weakness.