Diabetics either lack insulin or have a resistance to the action of the hormone. Most evidence indicates that the long-term health consequences of diabetes are caused by persistent hyperglycemia. Damaging the nervous system Long-term complications of diabetes are numerous. One of the most characteristic is called retinopathy , or disease of the retina. In fact, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in the United States.
Diabetics also suffer from a greater than normal rate of heart attacks and stroke.
Many individuals who have had either type of diabetes for more than five to 10 years will suffer from diabetic neuropathy. Those who experience symptoms of diabetic neuropathy often consider these the most distressing manifestations of their diabetes. The most common expression of diabetic neuropathy is a loss of sensation in the feet and occasionally in the hands. Beyond the disturbing and troublesome numbness, a lack of sensory feedback from the feet can trigger a sequence of dangerous events. In particular, the malfunction of nerves carrying sensory information from the feet may lead to an altered foot architecture that increases the probability of injuries of which the individual is unaware.