Diabetes mellitus is the result of a failure of the body to produce or use the hormone insulin in sufficient amounts to regulate supply of glucose to the tissues.This leads to large swings in blood sugar levels.Diabetics often have high blood pressure and high cholesterol in addition to their disease and are at increased risk for heart disease.Many diabetics are also overweight.There are two main forms of diabetes.Type 1, or insulin-dependent, diabetes usually develops in young people and is controlled by regular insulin injections.Type II, or noninsulin-dependent, diabetes develops mainly in adults over40 and may require oral medication to control it.With suitable attention to diet and perhaps some alteration to the medication regimen, diabetic individuals can usually take part in sports and exercise.A number of top sports figures are diabetic.Many diabetics who exercise regularly report better control of their blood sugar levels and a reduction in the amount of insulin needed.The tissues of athletes are more sensitive to the effects of insulin than those of untrained persons, so they need less insulin to regulate the responses of the body to ingested food.Provided that sensible precautions are taken and that the program builds up gradually, every individual diagnosed as diabetic should be encouraged to become more active.
