Health ReviewDiabetes is a disorder of the breakdown of glucose in the body. Glucose levels in the body are maintained through diet and with the help of insulin. Glucose is introduced into the body through various types of foods, the most common being carbohydrates. Once glucose is present in the body, it is distributed into the bloodstream with the help of inulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. In diabetic patients, either the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the cells targeted by glucose do not respond appropriately. There are three main types of diabetes: type I, type II and gestational diabetes. Insulin is a main component in regulating the body's metabolism. Insulin is regulated by digestive processes. At the beginning of digestion, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and other sugar molecules. The glucose is then directly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing a spike in blood sugar levels. At the same time, the pancreas releases insulin to allow glucose to be taken up by cells, either for use as energy or for storage. Once levels are balanced, the pancreas reduces insulin production. In a patient with type II diabetes, insulin may be produced and able to attach to recipient cells, but glucose is unable to enter the cell for use. As the disease progresses, the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to overcome resistance. This causes damage to the beta cells, leading to permanent high blood sugar (type 2 diabetes). Type II diabetes can develop from a variety of sources that may or may not act in conjunction with each other; some of them are: poor diet, family history, low activity levels, ethnicity. Symptoms of type II diabetes often develop slowly...... middle of article ......r Disease risk in the offspring of diabetic women: the impact of the intrauterine environment. Experimental Diabetes Research, 1-10. Accessed January 20, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23133443MedlinePlus. (June 2, 2012). Glucose Tolerance Test: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 3, 2014, from the United States National Library of Medicine: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003466.htmNIDDK. (June 19, 2012). National Diabetes Information Center (NDIC). (R. Little, editor) Retrieved February 3, 2014, from The A1C Test and Diabetes: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/A1CTest/Norman, GD and Steyn, PS (2013). The intrauterine device in women with type I and II diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. National Center for Biotechnology Information, 1-11. Accessed January 21, 2014 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24396605