1. Insulin Deficiency and the Energy Crisis
Our body’s cells use glucose as their primary energy source, and the help of insulin is essential for this process. A situation of extreme insulin deficiency can occur in people with Type 1 diabetes, or in people with Type 2 diabetes whose insulin demand surges due to severe infection.
At this point, our body recognizes an ‘energy crisis’ where it cannot use glucose and begins to search for an alternative energy source.
2. The Alternative Energy ‘Fat’ and the Byproduct ‘Ketones’
– Fat Breakdown: To survive, the body enters an emergency state and starts to break down stored body fat to use as an energy source.
– Ketone Body Production: In this process, acidic substances called ‘ketone bodies’ are produced as byproducts and are released into the bloodstream.
– Acidification of the Blood: If ketone bodies accumulate excessively in the blood, the blood’s pH changes from its normal slightly alkaline state to ‘acidic.’
3. Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
This state, where the blood becomes acidic due to ketone bodies, is called ‘Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).’ It is a very dangerous medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
– Key Symptoms: Can include extreme thirst, frequent urination, abdominal pain, vomiting, fruity-scented breath (acetone smell), and a decreased level of consciousness.
– Treatment: Emergency room treatment is required to urgently administer intravenous fluids and insulin to correct dehydration, lower blood sugar, and reverse the acidification of the blood.
Summary: Diabetic ketoacidosis is a life-threatening acute complication caused by an extreme lack of insulin, which forces the body to use fat for energy, producing ketone byproducts that make the blood acidic.
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