Why Pancreas of Type 2 Diabetic Persons Produce Less Insulin?

Pancreas organ produces insulin (credit to Surgita Ltd)

You might know that insulin is an important hormone to bring glucose from blood into cells, then broken as source of energy.

The glucose also be stored by cells for future purposes. Hence, insulin would maintain blood sugar in the normal level, not lower (hypoglycemia) or not higher (hyperglycemia).

It is fact that people with type 2 diabetes have their pancreas produced less insulin than normal people.

The question then, Why Pancreas of Type 2 Diabetic Person Produce Less Insulin?

Generally, pancreas produces less or even stop producing of insulin at all due to several factors:

- damages to some part of pancreas because of cancer and trauma

- negative effects of using certain medicines

- diseases such as hormonal diseases

- gen mutation

Beta cell in the pancreas (credit to PLOS Biology)

If we observe the pancreas, there is the tiny spot (an area) called as “the islet.” This area contains “beta cell”

The islet accommodates of 50% to 70% of beta cell that contribute to insulin production.

Here, how Beta cells have connections to diabetes:

- if beta cell damaged or degeneration, then caused to insulin dependent (type 1 diabetes)

- if beta cells are reduced in numbers (because regeneration rate less than death rate), then, caused to insulin production less (type 2 diabetes).

In addition, beta cell deficiency of functioning, together with body resistance to insulin may lead to type 2 diabetes as well.