Diabetes Mellitus

1. Type 2 Diabetes Slideshow Pictures
2. Diabetes and Foot Problems Slideshow
3. Take the Diabetes Quiz!

Medical Author:

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD

Robert Ferry Jr., MD, is a U.S. board-certified Pediatric Endocrinologist. After taking his baccalaureate degree from Yale College, receiving his doctoral degree and residency training in pediatrics at University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), he completed fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

• Diabetes Overview
• Types of Diabetes
• Complications of Diabetes
• Diabetes Causes
• Diabetes Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Diabetes Emergencies
• Diabetes Diagnosis
• Diagnosing Complications of Diabetes
• Diabetes Treatment
• Diabetes Self-Care at Home (Diet, Exercise, and Glucose Monitoring)
• Diabetes Medical Treatment
• Diabetes Medications
• Diabetes Follow-up
• Diabetes Prevention
• Diabetes Prognosis
• Support Groups and Counseling
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Diabetes from Healthwise
• Diabetes FAQs
• Viewer Comments: Diabetes - Symptoms
• Viewer Comments: Diabetes Treatment - Effective Treatments

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a set of related diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar (specifically, glucose) in the blood.

The blood delivers glucose to provide the body with energy to perform all of a person's daily activities.

• The liver converts the food a person eats into glucose. The glucose is then released into the bloodstream.
• In a healthy person, the blood glucose level is regulated by several hormones, primarily insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas, a small organ between the stomach and liver. The pancreas also makes other important enzymes released directly into the gut that helps digest food.
• Insulin allows glucose to move out of the blood into cells throughout the body where it is used for fuel.
• People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes), or both (which occurs with several forms of diabetes).
• In diabetes, glucose in the blood cannot move efficiently into cells, so blood glucose levels remain high. This not only starves all the cells that need the glucose for fuel, but also harms certain organs and tissues exposed to the high glucose levels.

Must Read Articles Related to Diabetes

Acromegaly FAQs Acromegaly is a serious condition that occurs when the body produces too much of the hormones that control growth. This causes abnormal enlargement of bone, car...learn more >>

Diabetic Eye Disease Diabetic eye disease is a complication from diabetes. Types of diabetic eye disease include background diabetic retinopathy, nonproliferative diabetic retinopat...learn more >>

Diabetic Foot Care Read about diabetic foot care. Causes of foot problems in people with diabetes include footwear, nerve damage, poor circulation, trauma, infections, and smoking...learn more >>

See the Entire Diabetes Topic Guide »