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= Welcome to Type 2 Diabetes! =

** __Definition__ **
Type 2 diabetes, also known as __adult-onset__ or __noninsulin-dependent diabetes__, is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sug ar, your body's main source of fuel. This causes your body is resistant to the effects of insulin or your body doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Untreated, the consequences of type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening. There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you can manage or even prevent the condition. (Taken from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585 on January 20, 2010)

Take a look a The 101 Basic for more information regarding Type 2 Diabetes.

__**Cause**__
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin. Exactly why this happens is unknown, although excess weight and inactivity seem to be important factors.

Insulin is a hormone that comes from the pancreas, a gland located just behind the stomach. When you eat, the pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream. As insulin circulates, it acts like a key by unlocking microscopic doors that allow sugar to enter your cells. Insulin lowers the amount of sugar in your bloodstream. As your blood sugar level drops, so does the secretion of insulin from your pancreas.

Glucose is a main source of energy for the cells that make up muscles and other tissues. Glucose comes from two major sources: the food you eat and your liver. After intestinal digestion and absorption, sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. Normally, sugar then enters cells with the help of insulin. The liver acts as a glucose storage and manufacturing center. When your insulin levels are low — when you haven't eaten in a while, for example — the liver metabolizes stored glycogen into glucose to keep your glucose level within a normal range.

In type 2 diabetes, this process works improperly. Instead of moving into your cells, sugar builds up in your bloodstream. This occurs when your pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or your cells become resistant to the action of insulin.

(Taken from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=causes on January 29, 2010)

__ **Test** **for Type 2 Diabetes** __
There are four different types of test each testing for the same end result, and depending on where you life you might not have all these test available to you.

__**Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test**__ This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. It works by measuring the percentage of blood sugar attached to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates you have diabetes. A result between 6 and 6.5 percent is considered prediabetes, which indicates a high risk of developing diabetes.

__**Random blood sugar test**__ A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Regardless of when you last ate, a random blood sugar level of 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or higher suggests diabetes.


 * __Fasting blood sugar test__** A blood sample will be taken after an overnight fast. A fasting blood sugar level less than 100 mg/dL is normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL is considered prediabetes. If it's 126 mg/dL or higher on two separate tests, you'll be diagnosed with diabetes.

__**An oral glucose tolerance test**__ may also be performed. For this test, you fast overnight, and the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then, you drink a sugary liquid, and blood sugar levels are tested periodically for the next several hours. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL after two hours indicates diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL indicates prediabetes.

Check out After the Diagnosis to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes.

(Taken from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/type-2-diabetes/DS00585/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis on January 30, 2010)