Does
Diabetes Make You Lose Weight?
Losing
weight is one of the goals for many people around the world.
Adhering to proper nutrition and regular exercise are the keys
to long term weight loss but at times, some people are affected
by unexplained weight loss. Some of the reasons can include
health conditions like cancer, celiac disease, chronic diarrhea,
depression, dementia, eating disorders and last but not least
diabetes.
Diabetes
is one of the most common diseases in the world and can be fatal
if not taken care of. Diabetes can be largely hereditary like
if your family have a history of having diabetes, your chances
of contracting this disease is higher and you might inherit
a diabetic pancreas. The pancreas is responsible for managing
insulin production and if you already have a defective pancreas
at birth, you're likely to suffer from diabetes in the future.
But apart from being a genetic factor, diabetes can also be
triggered by poor nutrition and lifestyle. If you tend to eat
lots of the unhealthy stuff regularly and lead a sedentary lifestyle,
you'll easily get overweight or obese and according to a study,
obesity has been linked to increase the risks of diabetes. In
fact obese people have a higher tendency to become diabetic.
Overweight
people who experience weight loss without even putting the effort
in diet and exercise are often confused but it can be a warning
sign of diabetes. While it is normal to lose or gain a few pounds
here and there, losing 10 pounds or more in a time span of 6
- 12 months or less can signal a medical condition like diabetes.
People
suffering from diabetes lack insulin production and insulin
is responsible for transporting glucose from the blood to your
cells to be used as energy. This is how your body works but
with an insulin deficiency, this can prevent your body from
using your blood glucose for energy efficiently and this is
not natural. When this happens, your body will start using your
muscles and fat stores as energy leading automatically to a
decrease in overall bodyweight. This is how people with diabetes
can lose weight without even trying.
If
your goal is to lose weight and you experience great weight
loss without putting any effort in, you should not rejoice too
early as you might have diabetes. The best thing to do is to
consult a doctor immediately so that you can tackle the problem
early on as diabetes can be treated and kept under control although
there is no cure right now.
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