Diabetes is a condition of elevated blood sugars in which the
body does not make enough insulin and/or the insulin being made
cannot be used properly by the body. The body's main fuel is a
form of sugar called glucose, which comes from food (after it's
been broken down). Glucose enters the blood and is used by cells
for energy. To use glucose, the body needs a hormone called
insulin, which is made by the pancreas. Insulin is important
because it allows glucose to leave the blood and enter the
body's cells. Diabetes develops when your body can't make any or
enough insulin, or when it can't properly use the insulin it
makes. There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2.
Type 1 diabetes develops when your body makes little or no
insulin. When this happens, glucose can't get into the cells for
energy and remains in the blood, causing hyperglycemia (high
blood sugar). Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Most
people develop type 1 diabetes before the age of 30, but it can
also occur in older adul