Diabetes

Overview

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood glucose, commonly called blood sugar. Glucose is vital to your health because it's an important source of energy for the cells that make up your muscles and tissues. It's also your brain's main source of fuel.

If you have diabetes, no matter what type, it means you have too much glucose in your blood, although the reasons may differ. Too much glucose can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic diabetes conditions include type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Potentially reversible diabetes conditions include prediabetes — when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes — and gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy but may resolve after the baby is delivered.

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Experience and expertise. Mayo Clinic doctors have expertise in treating people with hard-to-control blood sugar.
• Education. Mayo Clinic offers a comprehensive educational program for those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are on an intensive insulin therapy — or multiple daily injection — program. The three-day educational series covers a broad range of topics, including the guidelines and principles of insulin dose adjustment on normal days, during exercise, on sick days and during special circumstances, as well as comprehensive dietary advice.
• Team approach. Mayo Clinic's teamwork system brings together the specialists you need to create a customized treatment plan for you. Your team may include a doctor, diabetes educator and registered dietitian who will work closely with you to keep your blood sugar level as close to normal as possible.
• Newest research. A research partnership between Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota has the goal of finding optimal treatments and ultimately curing diabetes.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranks No. 1 for diabetes and endocrinology in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., is ranked high performing for diabetes and endocrinology by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic also ranks among the Best Children's Hospitals in diabetes and endocrinology.

Mayo Clinic: Answers you can trust

At Mayo Clinic, we assemble a team of specialists who take the time to listen and thoroughly understand your health issues and concerns. We tailor the care you receive to your personal health care needs. You can trust our specialists to collaborate and offer you the best possible outcomes, safety and service.

Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution that reinvests all earnings into improving medical practice, research and education. We're constantly involved in innovation and medical research, finding solutions to improve your care and quality of life. Your doctor or someone on your medical team is likely involved in research related to your condition.

Our patients tell us that the quality of their interactions, our attention to detail and the efficiency of their visits mean health care — and trusted answers — like they've never experienced.

Why Choose Mayo Clinic
What Sets Mayo Clinic Apart

Read more about diabetes.