Diabetes is a silent disease that can interfere with your life, warns India’s top diabetologist, Dr Rajiv Kovil

Diabetes is a metabolic dysfunction the place the physique both doesn’t produce sufficient insulin or can not successfully use the insulin it makes. Insulin is a hormone, important for regulating blood sugar ranges, and when this course of is disrupted, blood sugar can rise to harmful ranges. There are two predominant sorts: sort 1, which is often recognized in childhood or early maturity, and kind 2, which is extra frequent and sometimes linked to life-style elements like poor eating regimen and lack of train. If left unmanaged, it might result in critical problems, together with coronary heart illness, kidney injury, and nerve issues. Since it might simply go unnoticed till critical problems come up, it’s essential for people to remain knowledgeable in regards to the situation—the way it develops, what the early indicators are, and the most effective methods to handle it.

On this World Diabetes Day, we’re diving into a number of the commonest questions and misconceptions surrounding the illness, with insights from Dr Rajiv Kovil, a number one diabetologist in India with over 20 years of expertise. Whether or not you might be not too long ago recognized or have been dwelling with diabetes for years, Dr Kovil will assist clear up your doubts and supply invaluable recommendation on managing this lifelong situation.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. Diabetes is usually thought of a silent illness—how can people detect early indicators and forestall long-term problems?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Diabetes is sometimes called a silent illness as a result of its signs and problems is probably not noticeable till important injury has been performed. Practically 60–70 p.c of the instances are recognized by the way—that means many individuals don’t expertise typical signs, corresponding to frequent urination, extreme thirst, or fatigue, till later levels. Early screenings and common checkups are essential to detect diabetic problems (like kidney, eye, and coronary heart points) and might help stop the long-term impression of the illness.

Q. How does the physique regulate blood sugar ranges and the way does this course of differ in people with diabetes?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: In a wholesome physique, blood sugar ranges are regulated by a variety of hormones, together with insulin and glucagon, that are secreted by the pancreas. This course of helps preserve steady blood glucose ranges to satisfy the vitality wants of your physique. Nevertheless, in folks with sort 2 diabetes, the physique turns into immune to insulin and the pancreas struggles to provide sufficient insulin to keep up regular blood sugar ranges. Over time, this results in persistent excessive blood sugar, which may trigger injury to varied organs.

Q. If my blood sugar turns into regular, do I nonetheless have diabetes?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: As soon as recognized, the situation is lifelong. Even when blood sugar ranges normalise and medicine is not wanted, an individual stays diabetic. An individual might be able to handle the situation with insulin and medicine, or in some instances—particularly with sort 2 diabetes—with out medicine. Nevertheless, not taking medicine doesn’t imply the illness is cured, the underlying situation nonetheless exists and requires correct monitoring and administration.

Q. Is diabetes hereditary, or can it develop and not using a household historical past?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Whereas genetics play a big position in growing the chance of this situation, it is very important perceive that heredity doesn’t assure you’ll develop the situation. Consider heredity as loading the gun, whereas life-style selections—corresponding to eating regimen, train, and stress ranges—pull the set off. Even people with no household historical past of the situation can develop it, significantly in the event that they lead a sedentary life-style, are obese, or have poor consuming habits. The danger will increase with age, weight problems, and different environmental elements.

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Q. How do you deal with blood sugar spikes after consuming a big meal or high-carb meals?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Massive spikes in blood sugar are sometimes noticed after consuming a heavy or high-carbohydrate meal. To handle this, it’s best to purpose for a balanced meal that features a mixture of carbohydrates, fibre-rich greens, protein, and fats. For folks with sort 1 diabetes, supplemental insulin doses are often vital to regulate these spikes. For these with sort 2 diabetes, a delicate stroll after meals and drugs could also be efficient. Moreover, many more recent diabetes drugs might help cut back these spikes, and steady glucose monitoring (CGM) units can present real-time insights into how your blood sugar responds to totally different meals.

Q. Will I must take insulin if I’ve diabetes?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Not everybody dwelling with this situation wants insulin. In truth, insulin remedy is often reserved for people whose blood sugar can not be managed by means of eating regimen and oral drugs. For these with sort 1, insulin is important because the physique produces little to no insulin. Nevertheless, in sort 2, insulin could also be prescribed quickly, particularly if blood sugar is severely excessive throughout an sickness, surgical procedure, or acute stress. Insulin can also be a part of a everlasting remedy plan if somebody is within the superior sort 2 diabetes stage.

Q. Weight problems appears to be one of many largest danger elements for diabetes. How does it have an effect on blood sugar ranges and enhance the chance?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Weight problems is likely one of the main danger elements for sort 2 diabetes. Extra fats, particularly across the stomach, contributes to insulin resistance, that means the cells of your physique not reply to insulin as successfully. This results in excessive blood sugar ranges. Moreover, fats deposits within the liver and pancreas can impair the perform of those very important organs, exacerbating insulin resistance and ultimately inflicting the pancreas to lose its potential to provide sufficient insulin. As weight problems continues to rise globally, so does the prevalence of this situation, making weight administration a essential consider its prevention or administration.

Q. The prevalence of diabetes is growing in each sexes. However what are the first elements that make males extra prone?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Whereas it impacts each women and men, sure life-style elements make males extra susceptible. Males usually tend to have unhealthy habits corresponding to increased charges of smoking, alcohol consumption, and poorer eating regimen selections, all of which contribute to weight problems and insulin resistance. Moreover, males are sometimes much less prone to search medical recommendation or have interaction in preventive well being measures. In some areas, corresponding to India, elevated stress ranges, poor sleep patterns, and an absence of bodily exercise additional exacerbate these dangers, making males extra prone to growing diabetes.

Q. How may gestational diabetes have an effect on my child’s well being?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: Gestational diabetes (GD), which happens throughout being pregnant, can have critical penalties for each mom and child. If left uncontrolled, it might result in problems corresponding to untimely delivery, massive delivery weight (macrosomia), and supply difficulties like shoulder dystocia. Infants born to moms with GD are additionally at increased danger for growing sort 2 diabetes later in life. Pregnant ladies ought to be screened for the situation early of their being pregnant, particularly if they’ve danger elements corresponding to weight problems or a household historical past of the situation. Sustaining blood sugar ranges throughout being pregnant is crucial to scale back dangers and guarantee a wholesome supply.

Q. What are some frequent misconceptions or myths about diabetes that you simply usually encounter in your follow, and the way would you prefer to debunk them?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: There are numerous myths surrounding the situation that may trigger confusion. Probably the most persistent myths is that consuming sugar.

• Whereas extreme sugar consumption can contribute to weight achieve and insulin resistance, diabetes is a fancy situation influenced by genetics, life-style, and different elements.
• One other frequent false impression is that insulin is dangerous, painful, or an indication of illness development.
• In truth, fashionable insulin therapies are secure and trigger minimal discomfort, and they’re a vital a part of remedy for many individuals dwelling with this situation.
• Some folks additionally imagine that drugs are unsafe you probably have the situation, preferring pure treatments as a substitute.

Nevertheless, diabetes drugs endure rigorous testing and are confirmed to be each efficient and secure when used below medical supervision. Whereas this situation has no treatment, it’s a manageable situation!

Q. Can diabetes be cured, or is it a lifelong situation?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: It’s a lifelong situation that can’t be cured or reversed. Sadly, there’s important advertising exploitation on-line that guarantees the reversal of diabetes, which is deceptive. The proper time period is remission, not reversal. Remission can happen when an individual improves their life-style considerably, however this doesn’t imply the situation is cured—it’s merely well-managed so long as these life-style modifications are maintained. As soon as somebody develops this persistent situation, it stays a lifelong situation that requires ongoing care and a spotlight.

Q. What suggestions would you give to these dwelling with diabetes to handle it?

Dr Rajiv Kovil: At the moment, the administration of each sort 1 and kind 2 diabetes has superior considerably, with quite a few drugs now obtainable to forestall problems and improve high quality of life. For sort 1 diabetes, the event of steady glucose displays and insulin pumps has revolutionized remedy. For sort 2 diabetes, remedy is more and more personalised, with drugs tailor-made to the person’s particular wants, corresponding to addressing weight problems, coronary heart illness, or kidney issues. With the proper medical recommendation and a dedication to wholesome dwelling, people with this situation can reside full, energetic lives and forestall problems.