Acetone: A chemical substance (a waste product) produced when the organism uses fatty acids as a source of energy instead of glucose (sugar). It usually indicates a lack of or a low level of insulin, insufficient glucose (sugar), or the fact that cells are unable to use the insulin present in the blood to convert glucose into energy. The burning of these fatty acids produces ketonic bodies, waste products that cause an excessive rise in blood acid levels, which can lead to ketoacidosis. People with acetone in their organisms exhale a fruity breath, known as "acetone breath".

Adrenalin - Epinephrine: One of the secretions of the supra-renal glands. It helps the liver to release glucose (sugar) and limits the release of insulin. It also makes the heart beat faster and can increase blood pressure; it is also known as epinephrine.

Amino Acids: These are the building blocks for proteins, the main substance in body cells. Insulin is formed by a chain of 51 amino acids.

Antagonist: It is an agent that opposes or resists the action of another agent.

Antibodies: These are proteins that the body produces to protect itself from external substances. In diabetes, the body sometimes produces antibodies to antagonize bovine or porcine cells, because they are not exactly the same as those of human insulin, or because they include impurities. Antibodies can prevent insulin from acting well, and can even produce an allergic reaction in the diabetic.

Calorie: This is energy derived from food. The calorie conent of different foods is variable. Fats contain many calories, while most vegetables contain very few. Diabetics are recommended to plan their diet for a regular calorie intake.

Carbohydrates: These are organic substances that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They represent one of the three main categories of indispensable foods and also a source of energy. They are sugars and starches that the organism disintegrates to be converted into glucose. The body also uses them to manufacture glycogen, a substance that is stored in the liver and muscles for future use. If insulin is insufficient or unusable, carbohydrates cannot be used by the body.

Cholesterol: This substance is similar to the fats in the blood, muscles, liver, brain and other tissues. The body produces and needs some cholesterol. However, an excess can make fats accumulate on artery walls, narrowing them and slowing or stopping the blood flow.

C-Peptide: A substance that the pancreas releases into the bloodstream in equivalent amounts to insulin. The C-Peptide level test will indicate the amount of insulin being produced by the body.

Creatinine: A chemical substance in the blood that is eliminated in the urine. The test for creatinine in the blood or urine, also called the creatinine purge test, shows whether the kidney is functioning well or is diseased.

Dextrose: A simple sugar present in the blood. It is the main source of body energy. It is also known as glucose.

Fats: One of the three main categories of food substances and a source of body energy. Fats ease some vitamin use for the organism and keep skin healthy. They are also the main way the human body stores energy. Food contains two types of fats: saturated and non-saturated.

Fatty Acids: The raw materials for fats. The body uses them as a source of energy when there is no glucose or when the cells can not use them directly (insulin deficit).

Fructose: A type of sugar present in many fruits and vegetables and also in honey. Fructose is used to sweeten some diet products.

Galactose: A kind of sugar present in dairy products and in beet sugar; it is also produced by the human body.

Glucagon: A hormone raising the glucose (sugar) level of the blood. When the body requires more sugar in the blood, the pancreatic "alpha" cells (in the Langerhans islets) produce glucagons. Sometimes injectable glucagon is used for cases of insulin shock. Glucagon injecting helps raise the blood glucose level. Cells react by using the additional insulin to produce energy from the additional glucose in the blood.

Glucose: An ever-present sugar in the blood. It is the main source of body energy. It is also called dextrose. This is the main sugar that the body manufactures from the three main food constituents: proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but mostly from the last of these. Glucose is the main source of energy for living cells.

Glycogen: A substance composed from the sugars stored in the liver and muscles, releasing glucose (sugar) into the blood when it is needed by the cells. Glycogen is the body's main source of reserve energy.

Hemoglobin A1C [HbA1C]: A substance in the red blood cells that supplies cells with oxygen and sometimes attaches to glucose (sugar). Due to the fact that while the cell remains alive (some 4 months), the glucose will remain attached to it, the hemoglobin A1C test indicates the average concentration of glucose in the blood during this period.

HLA Antigens: These are cell-surface proteins that help the body to combat disease. They vary among different individuals. Researchers believe that people with a certain type of HLA antigen are more at risk for insulin-dependent diabetes.

Hormone: A chemical substance released by special cells that determines the functioning of other cells. For example, insulin is a hormone produced by pancreatic "beta" cells which, when released, orders other cells to use glucose as energy.

Insulin Antagonist: It is an agent resisting the action of insulin. Insulin lowers the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, whereas glycogen raises it - therefore glycogen is an insulin antagonist.

Insulin - Human Insulin: A hormone helping the body to use glucose (sugar) to obtain energy. The pancreatic "beta" cells (found in areas called Langerhans islets) produce insulin. When the body can not produce enough insulin by itself, the diabetic must inject insulin obtained from other sources (i.e.: bovine, porcine or human from recombinant DNA) or semi-synthetic human insulin derived from porcine insulin.

Ketone Bodies: These are chemical substances the body produces when there is insufficient insulin in the blood, so it has to decompose fats to produce energy. Ketone bodies can poison and even destroy body cells. When the body lacks help from insulin, ketone bodies build up in the blood and eventually "spill over" into the urine for elimination. The body can also eliminate a type of ketone called acetone through the lungs. This produces a characteristic "fruity" breath. When ketones build up over time in the body, serious illness and coma can result.

Lactose: A kind of sugar found in milk and dairy products (cheese, butterfat, etc.).

Lipid: Another name for fat. Like an automobile with an extra fuel tank, the human body stores energy for future use and, as it is needed, can decompose fat into fatty acid and burn it as it does glucose (sugar).

Polyunsaturated Fats: This is a type of fats obtained from vegetables. The non-saturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are liquid at room temperature and are derived from plant oils such as olive, peanut, corn, cotton, sunflowerseed, saffron and soybean oils. These fats tend to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Proinsulin: A substance first produced by the pancreas and then converted into insulin. When porcine or bovine pancreatic insulin is purified, not all proinsulin is eliminated. When these insulins are used by some diabetics, due to the proinsulin present, the body can react by producing an eruption, combating the insulin or creating hollows or lumps at the insulin injection site. Purified insulins contain less proinsulin and other impurities compared with other kinds of insulin.

Saturated Fats: These fats are obtained from animals. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are mainly derived from animal-based foods. As examples we can mention butterfat, butter, meat fat, lard for pastrymaking, palm and coconut oil. These all tend to raise the level of blood cholesterol, a fatty substance in the blood.

Somatostatin: This is a hormone produced by the pancreatic "delta" cells. Researchers believe that this hormone can regulate the way the body secretes the other two hormones, insulin and glucagon.

Sorbitol: A sugar alcohol that the organism uses slowly. It is used as a sweetener in diet foods. It is considered a nutritious sweetener because it contains four calories per gram, just like table sugar and starch. Sorbitol is also produced in the human body, and if it is present in excessive amounts in cells, it can be harmful. Diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy can be related to the presence of too much sorbitol in the eye and nerve cells.

Sucrose: Table sugar; a form of sugar that the body has to decompose to a simpler form before the blood can absorb it and take it to the cells.

Sugar: A kind of carbohydrate with a sweet taste. Sugar is a fuel which is rapidly and easily used by the organism. Lactose, glucose, fructose and sucrose are all sugars. Without insulin, the cells can not use their glucose. In diabetics, according to the type of their diabetes, it can be a product of insulin deficit or of the resistance to its action.

Sulfonylureas: An oral hypoglucemic. These are pills or capsules taken to lower the glucose (sugar) level in the blood.

Triglyceride: A type of blood fat. The body needs insulin to eliminate it from the blood. If diabetes is under control and the individual has normal body weight, usually the trygliceride level of the blood will be around normal.

Urea: One of the body's main waste products. When foods are decomposed by the body, it uses what it needs and eliminates the residue as waste. The kidneys eliminate useless substances in the form of urea.