| Hormones Play a Role in Care
and Treatment of Diabetes Tri-City Voice, July 30, 2008
Washington Hospital Seminar Focuses on Chronic Disease Hormones are powerful chemicals our
body produces to keep it working right.
They stimulate, regulate and control the
function of organs and tissues. Hormones
are involved in nearly every biological
process.
Diabetes is a hormonal disease. It is
caused by the pancreas’ inability to
produce or properly use insulin, a
hormone that converts sugar, starches
and other foods into the energy our body
needs for daily living. Understanding
how diabetes interacts with other
hormones can help people with the
chronic disease to control it better.
“Hormones definitely play a role in
the care and treatment of diabetes,”
said Dr. Prasad Katta, an
endocrinologist from Washington Township
Medical Group (WTMG) who will present an
upcoming seminar on diabetes.
Part of Washington Hospital’s free
Diabetes Matters education series,
“Diabetes and Your Hormones” will be
held on Thursday, August 7, from 7 to 9
p.m., at the Conrad E. Anderson, M.D.,
Auditorium at Washington West, 2500
Mowry Avenue, in Fremont. To register
for the seminar, call (800) 963-7070.
Diabetes is a growing public health
issue with more than 23 million people
in the United States having been
diagnosed with the disease, according to
the American Diabetes Association..
Type 1 diabetes results from the
body’s failure to produce insulin and
accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all
diagnosed cases of the disease. People
with type 1 diabetes must take insulin
to survive.
The more common form is type 2
diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95
percent of all diagnosed cases. It
usually begins as insulin resistance,
which occurs when the cells do not
properly use the hormone. As the need
for insulin rises, the body often loses
its ability to produce it.
Katta will provide an overview of
diabetes as a hormonal disease and talk
about some of the latest advances,
including the use of hormones produced
by the gastrointestinal tract or gut.
These hormones, which affect metabolism,
are leading to new diabetes medications.
Diabetes and Testosterone
About 30 to 40 percent of men with
diabetes also suffer from erectile
dysfunction. Katta will address the male
hormone testosterone and its
relationship with diabetes.
While studies show men with type 2
diabetes have lower levels of
testosterone, he said it is not clear
what causes higher rates of erectile
dysfunction among men with diabetes.
There is some speculation it is linked
to obesity, blood pressure and the use
of medication to control blood pressure.
Men who are obese have higher rates of
diabetes and lower levels of
testosterone in the blood.
Katta will also discuss the issue of
low blood sugar or hypoglycemia.
Controlling blood sugar is key to
preventing serious complications,
including heart disease, kidney disease,
eye problems, and stroke. But if blood
sugar levels are too low, that can be a
problem. Over time, low blood sugar can
hurt the body’s ability to produce or
properly use other hormones.
“People with diabetes walk a fine
line,” he said. “They can’t let their
blood sugar get too high, but they can’t
let it get too low either. That is why
it’s critical for people with type 1
diabetes to check their blood sugar
three or four times a day.”
Finally, the doctor will talk about
some of the other hormonal disorders
people with diabetes are at risk for,
including thyroid disease, Addison’s
disease, and other autoimmune diseases.
To learn more about diabetes and your
hormones, register for the seminar at
(800) 963-7070. To find out about other
diabetes education classes, call (510)
745-6556 or visit
www.whhs.com,
click on “Services and Programs” and
choose “Diabetes Services” from the
drop-down menu. |
