Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is one of the most leading causes of death worldwide. According to an estimate, around 20.8 million people in the United States are suffering with diabetes.

Diabetes can be briefly explained as a metabolic syndrome where the human body is unable to absorb and utilize its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose. This occurs when the body is unable to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is required to convert glucose into energy.

According to the World Health Organization, there are three different forms of diabetes that include Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes. All these three forms of diabetes have different causes, different complications and occur in different types of population.

Different Types of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes: This is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by the inability of the human body to produce insulin due to loss of insulin-producing beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Also known as juvenile diabetes, this disease occurs primarily in children.

Type 2 Diabetes: This is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by the inability of body to produce insulin in adequate quantities or the failure of cells. Even conditions like reduced insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance are considered as Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form that accounts for 90-95 percent of diabetic cases.

Gestational Diabetes: This disease is almost similar to Type 2 diabetes. However, it differs in the population distribution. Gestational diabetes primarily occurs in about 2 percent to 5 percent of all pregnant women. It usually disappears after delivery. Untreated gestational diabetes can be increasingly dangerous both for the fetus and the mother. In case of the fetus, it can result in complications that include macrosomia, congenital cardiac and central nervous system abnormalities, respiratory distress syndrome, hyperbilirubinemia, skeletal muscle malformation and even death.

There are also certain other types of diabetes that occur due to genetic mutations that lead to defective beta cell function or secretion of inactive insulin. Even damage to the pancreas as a result of an injury, diseases such as cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis or usage of synthetic drugs can cause diabetes. Diabetes can also occur as a result of diseases that are associated with increased secretion of insulin-antagonistic hormones such as glucagon.