Homeostatic Imbalance and Diabetes

Homeostatic balance is the ability of a system to maintain its functioning and return to its original state after changes. This process is critical in the life of any organism; therefore, violations of this balance often lead to severe deviations. In the case of disturbed internal balance, which can manifest itself in a person both due to external factors and natural processes, the risk of diseases increases (Disease as Homeostatic Imbalance). Because some functions do not proceed normally, there are deviations in the operation of the entire system, which are aggravated by the inability of the system to return to its original state. An example of such an imbalance is the disruption of the production and functioning of insulin in the human blood, which leads to the development of diabetes. The purpose of this research paper is to investigate this homeostatic imbalance and the disease it causes.

Insulin is one of the essential hormones required for energy production. With this type of homeostatic imbalance, this process is disrupted. Therefore, the central body system associated with this process is the pancreas, which produces insulin and releases it into the bloodstream (Diabetes). In a healthy person, insulin production is directly related to blood sugar levels. When food is consumed during the digestive process, sugar enters the bloodstream. However, for the sugars to be absorbed by the body’s cells, insulin must be present. Therefore, circulating in the blood, insulin lowers glucose levels (Diabetes). Thus, disturbances in the functioning of the pancreas will affect the absorption of sugar.

There are two variations in the homeostatic imbalance associated with insulin production, corresponding to the two most common types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that involves destroying the cells of the pancreas by the body’s immune system (Watson). The reasons for this process are considered to be a combination of genetic and external factors. As a result, most of the cells responsible for insulin production are destroyed. Thus, its level in the blood is insufficient, and sugar begins to accumulate in the bloodstream. In the case of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, the destruction of the pancreas does not occur. Instead, the body cells begin to develop insulin resistance due to a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors (Diabetes). Because of this resistance, the pancreas cannot produce enough hormones to transfer glucose into cells, leading to sugar accumulation.

Finally, for patients diagnosed with similar diseases with characteristic disturbances of internal balance, there are several treatment methods. In the case of type 1 diabetes, it is impossible to prevent the onset of the disease in any way due to unknown reasons for the manifestation. Therefore, the only way out in this case is to adjust this balance externally by injecting insulin, which replaces and replenishes hormones that the human body cannot produce (Watson). In prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, the primary treatment is lifestyle changes, including proper nutrition, physical activity, and weight loss. These activities aim to lower blood sugar levels so that the body can more easily transfer it to cells, even with increased insulin resistance (Diabetes). However, if physical exercise is not enough, particular drugs are prescribed that forcefully lower blood sugar levels. An alternative to this is taking additional insulin, taking into account the increased resistance and giving the body an increased dose of the hormone.

In both variations of this disturbance of homeostatic balance, if all treatment measures are followed, the prognosis for patients remains positive. If a person actively monitors blood sugar levels, regularly takes the necessary medications, and strictly monitors food intake, the primary source of glucose, then nothing threatens them. However, in case of violations in terms of treatment, especially with a prolonged course of the disease, various complications are possible that capture most of the body’s systems. Therefore, the analysis of blood sugar levels is an essential procedure that allows timely detection of an imbalance in homeostatic balance and the prevention of diabetes and other diseases.

References

“1.3B: Disease as Homeostatic Imbalance.” Medicine LibreTexts, 2020. Web.

“Diabetes.” Mayo Clinic. 2020. Web.

Watson, Stephanie. “Everything You Need to Know About Diabetes.” Healthline, 2020. Web.