Although its incidence is increasing in the society, misinformation about diabetes causes significant disruptions in the diagnosis and treatment process of the disease. Noting that although diabetes is common, its symptoms are not known enough, Acıbadem Kayseri Hospital Endocrinology Specialist Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek, “Diabetes is a very common disease in the world. It is known that one out of every 11 people in the world has a problem related to diabetes. It can lead to serious consequences such as heart, blindness, paralysis, kidney failure and organ loss. For this reason, there are many wrongs that diabetes patients know as right as those who try to take precautions against diabetes. These mistakes not only invite diabetes but also play a negative role in maintaining a correct treatment for diabetes patients. Therefore, it is very important to obtain accurate information about diabetes, both in prevention and in the treatment process. Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek also gives detailed information about the disease while telling 15 misconceptions about diabetes.
WRONG: Diabetes occurs only in those who consume excessive sugar
ACTUALLY: Emphasizing that even people who do not consume sugar can have diabetes, Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek said, “Diabetes is a metabolic disease that concerns not only carbohydrate but also fat and protein metabolism. There are many factors that cause the disease. However, it is wrong to think that only those who eat a lot of sugar will get diabetes.
WRONG: Diabetes occurs only in obese
ACTUALLY: Diabetes is not only seen in people with excess fat. Obesity rate is high in type 2 diabetes patients. However, there are many type 2 diabetes patients with normal weight. There are many subtypes of diabetes apart from type 1 and type 2. Especially in subtypes of genetic origin, which we call Mody, patients can have diabetes without being obese, and most of this group is not obese.
FALSE: If the parents do not have diabetes, the child does not exist.
FACT: Having diabetes in the family increases the risk of susceptibility to this disease in the next generation. However, the absence of diabetes in the parents does not mean that the child will not have it. Your daily activity level and diet are very different 20-30 years ago. Due to these differences, it is not considered correct to make comments about the new generations with the information about the old generations and to take that information as a reference.
WRONG: Those who eat less do not get diabetes
ACTUALLY: There is a difference between eating little and eating for needs. At the same time, foods that do not pay attention to their calories and appear small in size and volume can sometimes contain too many calories. For example, a slice of cake can sometimes contain the same calories as a meal with 3 different dishes. Unconscious nutrition can invite diabetes.
WRONG: Hidden candy is more dangerous!
ACTUALLY: Prediabetes, known as "hidden sugar" among the people, refers to the level between normal blood sugar values and values that require a diagnosis of diabetes in the process leading to diabetes. Stating that the idea that hidden sugar is more dangerous is wrong, Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek, “Sometimes there are situations such as being afraid of hidden sugar and not being afraid of diabetes. However, diagnosed diabetes is a much more risky condition than hidden diabetes.
WRONG: Drugs rot the kidneys
ACTUALLY: Discontinuing the medication with the claim that metformin-containing drugs used in the treatment of diabetes can rot the kidneys causes major disruptions in the treatment. Stating that these drugs are recommended as the first choice in treatment, Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek said, “Almost all of the patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes use these drugs. Metformin is blamed in patients who develop kidney failure due to uncontrolled diabetes. The important point here is that metformin is not given to patients with a certain degree of kidney failure due to the risk of active acidosis, but this drug itself does not cause kidney failure.
WRONG: Insulin supplementation is an indication of the end of the disease.
ACTUALLY: In the past years, supplementing with insulin was the last option in diabetes treatment. Nowadays, especially with the introduction of easier-to-use and highly effective insulins, it can be used as the first choice of Type 2 diabetes treatment in some patients.
WRONG: Insulin therapy is addictive
ACTUALLY: Insulin is not an addictive drug. It is a hormone produced and existing in our body. Noting that there is a need for external supplementation of this hormone due to the decrease in insulin reserve and developing insulin resistance in diabetic patients, Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek states that insulin is used for life, especially in patients who have had diabetes for many years.
WRONG: Insulin needle made from the navel makes lubrication in the umbilical region
ACTUALLY: Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek, “Insulin is made into the subcutaneous fat tissue. Rarely, there is an increase or decrease in adipose tissue. Making insulin from the belly does not cause weight gain in the abdominal region,” he says.
WRONG: Insulin must be stored in the refrigerator.
ACTUALLY: "Incorrect information that insulin should be kept in the refrigerator causes patients to hesitate to carry their insulin with them and delay their treatment," said Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek explains that insulins can be stored at room temperature (22-24 degrees) in an environment out of direct sunlight for a month without spoiling.
WRONG: Some foods replace insulin
ACTUALLY: Insulin is not a substance found in foods. It is a hormone produced only by the pancreas. It is produced in a protein structure, so when taken orally, it cannot pass stomach acid, so it is used subcutaneously. While it was formerly obtained from cattle or pigs, it is now obtained as human insulin by recombinant technology.
WRONG: In extreme low sugar, any sugary food immediately raises sugar.
ACTUALLY: Foods containing pure sugar increase sugar rapidly in case of hypoglycemia (low sugar level in the blood). Especially since the sugar in foods containing fat such as chocolate is absorbed slowly, it also corrects the sugar level in the blood more slowly. In order for blood sugar to rise rapidly, beverages such as tea sugar or sherbet with tea sugar should be taken.
WRONG: Diabetes does not harm the body
ACTUALLY: The absence of high blood sugar does not mean that diabetes does not harm the body. Since the blood sugar level rises gradually in type 2 diabetes, the patient's body gets used to this situation and even if the sugar level is very high, it does not cause a serious complaint. Expressing that patients can delay their treatment for this reason, Assoc. Dr. Yasin Şimşek warns, "Even if high blood sugar levels do not cause any serious symptoms, the negative effect on the veins continues."
WRONG: Diabetes is a disease of modern life
ACTUALLY: Diabetes is an ancient disease. There are records of the characteristics of diabetes in ancient Egypt and Greek history. The earliest records of diabetes It was found in a papyrus dating back to the 1500s. Two forms of diabetes were reported by Indian doctors in the 5th and 6th centuries AD. The word diabetes was first used by Arateus in the 2nd century AD in Cappadocia. Arateus defined diabetes as a disease in which there is an increase in the amount of urine, excessive thirst, and weight loss.
WRONG: Diabetics should stay away from sports
ACTUALLY: On the contrary, conscious sports are for the benefit of diabetic patients. Because the need for insulin decreases in diabetics who regularly exercise, and if there is insulin resistance, a decrease is observed or disappears. But watch out! Diabetics should not exercise on an empty stomach. In addition, it is necessary to check blood sugar before and after sports. If there is a certain decrease in these measurements, it can be compensated by eliminating a snack.
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