If diabetes is brought up to a member of the general public, they will usually be aware that the condition affects a person’s ability to regulate their blood sugar. However, they may not realize what is involved beyond checking blood sugars and possibly injecting insulin. On the other hand, most people that have been diagnosed with diabetes know that it is a very complex condition. Uncontrolled, high blood sugar affects everything from your head to your toes! If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is extremely important to manage and control your blood sugars. This will help minimize and prevent complications that arise from uncontrolled diabetes.

There is a common saying that “diabetes will not kill you, but its complication will.” Excess sugar in the blood causes damage to the small blood vessels and nerves. This in turn leads to damage to various diabetic complications including:

• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Blindness
• Depression
• Diabetic nephropathy or kidney damage
• Diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage
• Diabetic ulcers
• Erectile dysfunction
• Gastroparesis

Although there is not a cure for diabetes there are many effective avenues available to help manage and prevent the complications resulting from diabetes. ENCORE Research Group is working tirelessly to find new therapies for these conditions. If you would like to experience the science firsthand and help to move medicine forward, consider volunteering for a clinical trial!