A Woman’s Guide to Diabetes: It Affects You Differently than Men

Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body's inability to produce any (or enough) insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 25.8 million adults and children in the U.S. have diabetes, which accounts for 8.3 percent of the population. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Does diabetes affect women differently than men?

Recent research suggests that women who have type-1 diabetes have a startling 40 percent greater risk of dying than men with type-1.

What are some challenging issues that women who have been diagnosed with diabetes face at different stages in their lives?

Women might be more concerned with putting self-care behind them. For example, you might feel it's more important to first take care of your partner, your children, or friends, instead of yourself. You may also feel alone in the process, look at your body differently, notice menstruation differences, experience a change in sexual health, or struggle with diet and exercise.

Natalie Strand, MD, joins Dr. Mike to discuss diabetes and how it specifically affects women's health.