| A Basic View of Ketoacidosis in Diabetes October 14, 2008 Print-friendly version
Email this article | Page 1 | Introduction
Making More Glucose
| | Page 2 | Different Sources of Energy
Ketone Levels
The Consequences of Hyperketonemia
| | Page 3 | Identifying Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
| | Page 4 | Sources of Information
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Introduction
A number of different substances, including fatty acids, ketone bodies, and sugar (glucose), are used as energy sources by the body.
Insulin, which is produced by the islet cells in the pancreas, helps move glucose into the cells for use as an energy source. With a lack of insulin, glucose does not move into cells. Instead, it stays in the blood, reaching much higher than normal levels. This is the basis for Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Taking insulin, as a medicine, will help move glucose into the cells, thus lowering the glucose in the blood.
Making More Glucose
As a lack of insulin continues, the body must turn to the other sources of energy. It does this because the cells are still not getting the energy they need. At this point, gluconeogenesis will be occuring. Gluconeogenesis is the production of new sources of glucose as energy, such as carbohydrates from amino acids and glucose from glycogen in the liver. This results in more sugar, which can "spill over" and is found in the urine (glycosuria). The sugar going out in the urine brings water with it. This leads to poluria, or frequent urination. The body tries to fix this by increasing thirst. This is called polydipsia. Also, because the cells are not getting the energy they need, the body reacts by increasing food consumption (polyphagia). These three symptoms, polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia, are commonly seen in people with diabetes, who are not well controlled.
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