What is type 1 diabetes and what causes it?
Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, although the disease usually develops in children, adolescents and young adults. Some people are more likely to develop this type of diabetes if other members of their family have the disease or if they have been exposed to an environmental factor such as a virus. Diet and lifestyle do not cause type 1 diabetes.
Like other autoimmune diseases, the body attacks itself and destroys cells necessary for the body to function. Specifically, in type 1, the body attacks insulin-producing beta cells located in the pancreas, an organ located under the liver and next to the stomach.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include increased thirst, appetite and urination, as well as weight loss, irritability, mood changes and fatigue. Symptoms can occur suddenly, and when blood sugar levels reach very high levels, it can be life-threatening, causing brain swelling, confusion, loss of consciousness and coma.
Difference between Type 1 and Type 2
Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2—a much more common disease that usually occurs later in life due to a combination of genetic, dietary, and lifestyle factors—is not an autoimmune disease.
Instead the body normally produces insulinbut loses sensitivity to it, so cells do not absorb glucose from the blood.
“When the body cannot use insulin effectively, it is called insulin resistance,” said Camille Levister of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Bone Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- More weight
- Age 45 and older
- Belonging to certain races or ethnic groupsincluding Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.
- Family history
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Personal history of gestational diabetes (diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and resolves after pregnancy)
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Unlike people with type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes can usually make lifestyle changes or take oral medications to bring their blood sugar levels to healthy levels. For example, losing weight (if necessary) and carefully regulating your protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake may help.
Exercise can be as effective as taking medication when it comes to lowering blood sugar in people with type 2. (This does not apply to people with type 1, who need to take insulin to lower their blood sugar).
Almost any physical activity can help people with type 2 control their blood sugar levels.
“Not everyone can exercise, go to the gym or go to the gym,” said Jodi Lavigne-Tompkins, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and director of accreditation/content development at the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Professionals, talking about lifestyle habits such as healthy food choices and lifestyle choices. “That's why we say, Be as active as possible, move more and eat healthy.“
Because elevated blood sugar is toxic and can damage organs, people with diabetes are also at risk for health problems such as heart disease, hypertension, kidney failure, nerve damage and vision loss. Medicines that lower blood pressure, aspirin to prevent blood clots, and statins to lower cholesterol may help reduce the risk of diabetes complications that can be caused by high blood sugar.
“There are actually several classes of medications that people may take in different ways, but people with type 2 may also take insulin,” Lavigne-Tompkins said. “Eventually they may need insulin as well. The essence of diabetes is to control blood sugar levels.”
Long-term treatment for type 1 diabetes
Although there is no cure or way to prevent type 1 diabetes, treatment options are available that mimic normal insulin levels.
People with type 1 diabetes need to measure their blood sugar several times a day, either by pricking their finger with a drop of blood and checking it with a blood glucose meter, or by using a continuous glucose meter to perform the same task. Depending on the results, they either inject insulin or administer it through an insulin pump. (They can also calculate the amount of insulin they will need based on the carbohydrates in the food.)
“Diabetes care and education specialists can help people with diabetes manage their diabetes because that is our specialty,” Lavigne-Tompkins said. “There are a lot of technologies that can help people, and we can help them adopt that technology and use it safely and effectively.”
Moss seems to be coping with his diagnosis—and the need for life-saving equipment—with a sense of humor. “Honestly, I've come to terms with it. It's kind of fun. I call myself a robot with all my little things,” Moss said.
