Diabetes is a lifelong disease marked by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood that stems from the body’s inability to make or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas and helps control the level of blood glucose — the main source of fuel for your body.

Diabetic patients suffer from increased levels of blood glucose, which can cause blurred vision, frequent urination, increased thirst, unintended weight loss, slow healing sores and feelings of hunger and tiredness. Over time, diabetes that is not well controlled can cause serious damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease, a condition that permanently reduces the kidneys’ ability to perform properly. Diabetes requires the kidneys to work harder than normal, which can cause the blood vessels in the kidneys to wear out. In both kidney disease patients and diabetics, reduced kidney function also can lead to anemia — a condition where the body does not produce enough red blood cells, which perform the essential function of carrying oxygen throughout the body.