Diabetes is a chronic illness caused due to the breakdown of the metabolic system of the body. As a result, it is a complicated condition to handle, giving rise to several diseases and adverse health effects. In this article, our subject of study is how can diabetes disturb the normal state of balance or equilibrium in the body of a patient. So, come and join in for the article “How Does Diabetes Disrupt Homeostasis?”

What is Homeostasis?

Homeostasis is a condition in the body which means the body is in a state of constant equilibrium or balance. Homeo means “similar” and stasis means “stable”. As the name suggests, homeostasis is the ability of the body to remain stable. For example, when you feel hot, your body perspires. The perspiration is a mechanism by which the body is a maintains its stability through different bodily mechanisms.

How Does the Body of a Healthy Individual Work?

In a healthy individual who is not affected by diabetes, the body keeps the blood glucose within the range through a number of mechanisms. If the body experiences low levels of glucose, the pancreas reacts to the situation by lowering down the total secretion of the hormone insulin. In some other cases, where the level of blood glucose is too low, the pancreas secretes the hormone glucagon in order to enable the liver cells to secrete more of glucose which is then let out in the blood of the body.

Apart from that, when blood glucose becomes low, the adrenal in gland also tends to secrete another hormone which is known as epinephrine. The hormone helps in stabilizing the situation in two different ways:

• It stimulates the liver to increase the production of glucose and
• Epinephrine prevents the tissues of the body to use more glucose so that enough glucose is remaining for the flow of the blood of the individual

Effect of Diabetes on Homeostasis

Let us now delve a little deeper and try to analyze the effects of diabetes on the state of constant equilibrium of the body. For maintaining an appropriate balance, the level of blood sugar should be stable and so is the water regulation process. Both these processes interfere when you have diabetes, thereby causing disruption to homeostasis in the body.

Hence, the various body parts and functions that are adversely affected as a result of diabetes include the following:

• The Endocrine System: The endocrine system of the body is responsible for the production of hormones. This system is disrupted by diabetes to a great extent.
• The Nervous System: The high blood glucose levels are known to adversely affect the different body nerves.
• The Urinary System: Another known side effect of diabetes which might lead to the disruption of homeostasis in individuals is the dis balance caused in the urinary system as there is a need for frequent urination by the patient. This entire process also put pressure on the kidneys causing different kidney-related diseases.

Thus, diabetes is a major contributor to the disrupt or of the process of homeostasis. The following paragraph explains how does diabetes disrupt this process of equilibrium in the body.

How Does Diabetes Affect Homeostasis?

Diabetes causes a lot of side effects in the body due to which the otherwise stable state of the body is disturbed and that is how diabetes disrupts homeostasis in the patient’s body.

Diabetes is a disease which affects an individual when either the pancreas is not producing enough insulin or the insulin which is produced by the organ pancreas is unable to perform its functions in an appropriate manner. This is the reason why the process of homeostasis is disturbed.

In type 1 diabetes, since the body does not produce enough insulin, the patients usually administer insulin in their bodies through various external sources such as insulin jet injectors, insulin syringe, amongst other devices. The pancreas of the patient is not able to control the amount of insulin that is floating in the blood of the patient. Also, experts believe that after the patient has suffered from diabetes for somewhere around four to five years, the amount of glucagon that is secreted by the pancreas also reduces in amount with each passing day. Besides, the functioning of the hormone epinephrine is also reduced substantially. The result of the above-mentioned mechanism is that the body is exposed to very low levels of blood sugar also known as hypoglycemia.

Experts are of the view that implanting of the artificial pancreas can solve the problem of equilibrium caused in diabetes patients. However, there are various challenges when it comes to achieving the same and hence, several studies about the possibility of such a medical treatment are still underway!

We hope that the above article has been helpful in educating you about the process of maintaining balance in the body, known as homeostasis and how diabetes can disturb the process. Efficient management of diabetes become important for all the more reasons now!!