Insulin-Dependent Diabetes******REMINDER****** The information contained in the Rare Disease Database is provided for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes. If you would like more information about this disorder, please contact your personal physician and/or the agencies listed in the “Resources” section of this report. Insulin-dependent diabetes is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough insulin and is therefore unable to convert nutrients into energy needed for daily activity. The disorder affects women and men about equally. Although the causes of insulin-dependent diabetes are not known, genetic factors appear to play a role. Normally, sugars and starches (carbohydrates) contained in the foods we eat are transformed by digestive juices into glucose. Glucose circulates in the blood as a major energy source for bodily functions. Its use is regulated mainly by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas gland (located behind the stomach). In diabetics, there is a dysfunction in the production of insulin. There are two main types of diabetes: type I or insulin-dependent and type II or non-insulin-dependent. The insulin-dependent type of diabetes usually begins during childhood or adolescence, although it can occur at any age. Because the pancreas supplies little or no insulin in this disease, daily injections of the hormone and a controlled diet are necessary to regulate blood sugar levels. Insulin is generally effective in preventing glucose buildup, but it is a treatment, not a cure, for diabetes. The onset of insulin-dependent diabetes begins with frequent urination, extreme thirst, constant hunger, and unexplained weight loss. Because people with type I diabetes lack insulin, glucose builds up in the blood at levels too high for the kidneys to excrete it. In order to eliminate excess sugar, the kidneys excrete