The NFL has some of the most athletic and highly skilled people in the world. These players have to be in excellent shape and healthy to perform at top of their game every day. Playing professional football takes its toll on the player’s body and demands all players to be in top shape and excellent condition. For some players it is even more demanding and more of a health risks then others, in the case of Jay Cutler and some other players who have diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes, or also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar (glucose) into energy. Although type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, it typically appears during childhood or adolescence. Some of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes are increased thirst and frequent urination, extreme hunger, weight loss, fatigue-becoming tired and irritable, and blurred vision.
Jay Cutler is the quarterback for the Denver Broncos. He is a three year pro getting drafted in the first round 11th overall, out of Vanderbilt. Cutler was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in mid-April 2008 just entering the third year of his professional career. Now Cutler entering this season will have to figure out how to manage with type 1 diabetes and play professional football. Last October, when Cutler -- who had carried between 230 and 235 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame since his rookie season in 2006 -- began to notice a sudden and dramatic loss of weight and energy. In one week, he dropped eight pounds. Thereafter, he was losing two or three pounds per week before bottoming out at 202. As a professional quarterback losing that much weight and losing energy is a very bad thing. Football players need to have good stamina and if loss of energy is happening that’s when players start getting injured and having health problems. Cutler stated during the 2007 season that he was fatigued all the time; there wasn't a lot of zip on his passes. He couldn't lift, couldn't run. He was so tired.
Cutler has stated that “When you start working out, your blood sugar drops a little bit and you've just got to monitor it because it could get really low and then bad things could happen” for instance the symptoms type 1 diabetes could take part. If Cutler is on the field playing and his symptoms show up not only is he in trouble but the whole entire team will suffer also. If he is on the field and has increased thirst or starts dehydrating him that will cause a great problem for him and the team. He could get severely injured and he won’t be able to play at his top performance which could cause the team to lose. He won’t want to call and waste a time out due to him having to get a drink, eat or urinate because teams need to use them to stop the clock in desperate times of the game, usually to help a team drive down the field to win the game.
Jay Cutler was not the first NFL player to have diabetes some other players are Art Shell played 1968-82, Jonathan Hayes played 1982-85, Wade Wilson and Tony George both played from 1999-2000, Michael Sinclair played 1991-2002, Mike Echols played 2002-2004, and Kendall Simmons started in 2002 and is still playing to this day. Now Jay Cutler has his health under control, he is learning how to manage his type 1 diabetes and play professional football. Cutler has an insulin pump that acts as a pancreas, providing the doses he needs through a catheter, although he isn't wearing it when he's on the football field when not wearing the pump, Cutler gives himself daily injections of insulin, a long-lasting form in the morning to cover him for the entire day. He takes a fast-acting form after a meal. Not only does Jay Cutler have to stay healthy to be a professional football player but also to live a better life and managing to live life with type 1 diabetes.
