Diabetes types
Diabetes
mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a metabolic disease that causes high
blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to
be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make
enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.
Untreated
high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other
organs.
There
are a few different types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The
immune system attacks and destroys cells in the pancreas, where
insulin is made. It’s unclear what causes this attack. About 10
percent of people with diabetes have this type.
- Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body becomes
resistant to insulin, and sugar builds up in your blood.
- Prediabetes occurs when your blood sugar is higher
than normal, but it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
- Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar during
pregnancy. Insulin-blocking hormones produced by the placenta cause this
type of diabetes.
A
rare condition called diabetes insipidus is not related to diabetes
mellitus, although it has a similar name. It’s a different condition in which
your kidneys remove too much fluid from your body.
Diabetes
symptoms are caused by rising blood sugar.
General diabetes
The
general symptoms of diabetes include:
- increased hunger
- increased thirst
- weight loss
- frequent urination
- blurry vision
- extreme fatigue
- sores that don’t heal
Symptoms in men
In
addition to the general symptoms of diabetes, men with diabetes may
have a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor
muscle strength.
Symptoms in women
Women
with diabetes can also have symptoms such as urinary tract
infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin.
Type 1 diabetes
Symptoms
of type 1 diabetes can include:
- extreme hunger
- increased thirst
- unintentional weight loss
- frequent urination
- blurry vision
- tiredness
It
may also result in mood changes.
Type 2 diabetes
Symptoms
of type 2 diabetes can include:
- increased hunger
- increased thirst
- increased urination
- blurry vision
- tiredness
- sores that are slow to heal
It
may also cause recurring infections. This is because elevated glucose levels
make it harder for the body to heal.
Gestational diabetes
Most
women with gestational diabetes don’t have any symptoms. The condition is often
detected during a routine blood sugar test or oral glucose tolerance test that
is usually performed between the 24th and 28th weeks of gestation.
In
rare cases, a woman with gestational diabetes will also experience increased thirst or urination.
Causes of diabetes
Different
causes are associated with each type of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
Doctors
don’t know exactly what causes type 1 diabetes. For some reason, the immune
system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in
the pancreas.
Genes
may play a role in some people. It’s also possible that a virus sets off the
immune system attack.
Type 2 diabetes
Type
2 diabetes stems from a combination of genetics and lifestyle
factors. Being overweight or obese increases your risk too. Carrying
extra weight, especially in your belly, makes your cells more resistant to
the effects of insulin on your blood sugar.
This
condition runs in families. Family members share genes that make them more
likely to get type 2 diabetes and to be overweight.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational
diabetes is the result of hormonal changes during pregnancy. The placenta
produces hormones that make a pregnant woman’s cells less sensitive to the
effects of insulin. This can cause high blood sugar during pregnancy.
Women
who are overweight when they get pregnant or who gain too much
weight during their pregnancy are more likely to get gestational diabetes.
Certain
factors increase your risk for diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
You’re
more likely to get type 1 diabetes if you’re a child or teenager, you
have a parent or sibling with the condition, or you carry certain
genes that are linked to the disease.
Type 2 diabetes
Your
risk for type 2 diabetes increases if you:
- are overweight
- are age 45 or older
- have a parent or sibling with the condition
- aren’t physically active
- have had gestational diabetes
- have prediabetes
- have high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
or high triglycerides
- have African American, Hispanic or Latino American,
Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Asian American
ancestry
Gestational diabetes
Your
risk for gestational diabetes increases if you:
- are overweight
- are over age 25
- had gestational diabetes during a past pregnancy
- have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9
pounds
- have a family history of type 2 diabetes
- have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Complications
associated with diabetes include:
- heart disease, heart attack, and stroke
- neuropathy
- nephropathy
- retinopathy and vision loss
- hearing loss
- foot damage such as infections and sores that
don’t heal
- skin conditions such
as bacterial and fungal infections
- depression
- dementia
Gestational diabetes: Uncontrolled
gestational diabetes can lead to problems that affect both the mother and baby.
Complications affecting the baby can include:
premature birth, higher-than-normal weight at birth, increased
risk for type 2 diabetes later in life, low blood sugar, jaundice, stillbirth. The mother can develop complications
such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia) or type 2 diabetes. She may also
require cesarean delivery, commonly referred to as a C-section. The mother’s risk of gestational diabetes
in future pregnancies also increases.
Healthy
eating is a central part of managing diabetes. In some cases, changing your
diet and balancing it up with recommended Natural nutritional supplements may
be enough to control the disease.
Type 2 diabetes
Eating
the right types of foods can both control your blood sugar and help you lose
any excess weight.
Carb
counting is an important part of eating for type 2 diabetes. A dietitian can
help you figure out how many grams of carbohydrates to eat at each meal.
In
order to keep your blood sugar levels steady, try to eat small meals throughout
the day. Emphasize healthy foods such as: fruits, vegetables,
whole grains,
lean protein such as poultry and fish, healthy fats such
as olive oil and nuts,
Anyone
who has symptoms of diabetes or is at risk for the disease should be tested. Women
should routinely test for gestational diabetes during
their second or third trimesters of pregnancy.
Doctors
use these blood tests to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes:
Type
1 diabetes isn’t preventable because it’s caused by a problem with the immune
system. Some causes of type 2 diabetes, such as your genes or age, aren’t under
your control either.
Yet
many other diabetes risk factors are controllable. Most diabetes prevention
strategies involve making simple adjustments to your diet, take nutritional
supplements to cover for any nutritional deficiency, then add fitness routine.
If
you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, here are a few things you can do to
delay or prevent type 2 diabetes:
- Get at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic
exercise, such as walking or cycling.
- Cut saturated and trans fats, along
with refined carbohydrates, out of your diet.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Eat smaller portions.
- Try to lose 7 percent of your body weight if
you’re overweight or obese.
Type 2 diabetes
Type
1 diabetes used to be called “juvenile diabetes” because type 2 was so rare in
children. Now that more children are overweight or obese, type 2 diabetes
is becoming more common in this age group.
Untreated
type 2 diabetes can cause lifelong complications, including heart disease,
kidney disease, and blindness. Healthy eating and exercise can help your child
manage their blood sugar and prevent these problems.
Type
2 diabetes is more prevalent than ever in young people.
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