Diabetes: The Differences Between Types 1 And 2
Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus (DM), is a metabolic disorder in which the body cannot properly store and use sugar. It affects the body's ability to use glucose, a type of sugar found in the blood, as fuel. This happens because the body does not produce enough insulin, or the cells do not correctly respond to insulin to use glucose as energy. Insulin is a type of hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate how blood sugar becomes energy. An imbalance of insulin or resistance to insulin causes diabetes. Diabetes is linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, vision loss, neurological conditions, and damage to blood vessels and organs. There is type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. They have different causes and risk factors, and different lines of treatment. This article will compare the similarities and differences of types 1 and 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnancy and typically resolves after childbirth. However, having gestational diabetes also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy, so patients are often screened for type 2 diabetes at a later date. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 29.1 million people in the United States (U.S.) have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1. For every person with type 1 diabetes, 20 will have type 2. Type 2 can be hereditary, but excess weight, a lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet increase At least a third of people in the U.S. will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. Both types can lead to heart attack, stroke, nerve damage, kidney damage, and possible amputation of limbs. Causes In type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. These cells are destro Continue reading >>
Type 1 Vs. Type 2 Diabetes: Which One Is Worse?
What are the differences between the causes of type 1 and type 2? The underlying causes of type 1 and type 2 are different. Type 1 diabetes causes Type 1 diabetes is believed to be due to an autoimmune process, in which the body's immune system mistakenly targets its own tissues (islet cells in the pancreas). In people with type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas that are responsible for insulin production are attacked by the misdirected immune system. This tendency for the immune system to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas is likely to be, at least in part, genetically inherited, although the exact reasons that this process happens are not fully understood. Exposure to certain viral infections (mumps and Coxsackie viruses) or other environmental toxins have been suggested as possible reasons why the abnormal antibody responses develop that cause damage to the pancreas cells. The primary problem in type 2 diabetes is the inability of the body's cells to use insulin properly and efficiently, leading to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and diabetes. This problem affects mostly the cells of muscle and fat tissues, and results in a condition known as insulin resistance. In type 2 diabetes, there also is a steady decline of beta cells that worsens the process of elevated blood sugars. At the beginning, if someone is resistant to insulin, the body can at least partially increase production of insulin enough to overcome the level of resistance. Over time, if production decreases and enough insulin cannot be released, blood sugar levels rise. In many cases this actually means the pancreas produces larger than normal quantities of insulin, but the body is not able to use it effectively. A major feature of type 2 diabetes is a lack of sensitivity to insulin by the ce Continue reading >>
Types Of Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes mellitus (or diabetes) is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects your body's ability to use the energy found in food. There are three major types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. All types of diabetes mellitus have something in common. Normally, your body breaks down the sugars and carbohydrates you eat into a special sugar called glucose. Glucose fuels the cells in your body. But the cells need insulin, a hormone, in your bloodstream in order to take in the glucose and use it for energy. With diabetes mellitus, either your body doesn't make enough insulin, it can't use the insulin it does produce, or a combination of both. Since the cells can't take in the glucose, it builds up in your blood. High levels of blood glucose can damage the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys, heart, eyes, or nervous system. That's why diabetes -- especially if left untreated -- can eventually cause heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage to nerves in the feet. Type 1 diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It used to be called juvenile-onset diabetes, because it often begins in childhood. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. It's caused by the body attacking its own pancreas with antibodies. In people with type 1 diabetes, the damaged pancreas doesn't make insulin. This type of diabetes may be caused by a genetic predisposition. It could also be the result of faulty beta cells in the pancreas that normally produce insulin. A number of medical risks are associated with type 1 diabetes. Many of them stem from damage to the tiny blood vessels in your eyes (called diabetic retinopathy), nerves (diabetic neuropathy), and kidneys (diabetic nephropathy). Even more serious is the increased risk of hea Continue reading >>
What Is The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes?
There are three major types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. All types of diabetes cause blood glucose levels to be higher than normal, but they do this in different ways Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but is most commonly diagnosed from infancy to the late 30s. With this type of diabetes, a person’s pancreas produces no insulin. It occurs when the body’s own defence system (the immune system) attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. What causes the immune system to do this is not yet completely understood, but we are funding research to find out. Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common type of diabetes – in the UK over 90 per cent of people with diabetes have type 2. Type 2 diabetes usually affects those over 40, or 25 if you’re of South Asian descent. However, it is becoming more common among young people due to lifestyle. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes are not always obvious and, unlike with type 1, they can take a long time to develop. People with type 2 diabetes either don’t make enough insulin or don’t make insulin that the body can use properly. The cells in the body become resistant to insulin, making a greater amount of insulin necessary to keep blood glucose levels within a normal range. Eventually, the pancreas can wear out from producing extra insulin, and it may start making less and less. Type 2 can usually be managed through diet, exercise, and self-monitoring blood glucose, at least in the first few years following diagnosis. However, type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition, and most people will need to take tablets and/or inject insulin after living with it for five to 10 years. LADA Up to a third of people who were initially diagnosed as having type Continue reading >>
5 Ways Type 1 Diabetes Is Different From Type 2
When people hear that you have diabetes, they start to make assumptions that aren't always accurate. A lot of the confusion stems from the fact that there are two main types, yet many people don't understand how they're different. (Want to pick up some healthier habits? Sign up to get daily healthy living tips delivered straight to your inbox!) As someone with type 1 diabetes—I was diagnosed with it nearly 40 years ago—I'm all too familiar with the disease. I lived with it as a child, teen, and adult, and when I decided to have kids I had to figure out how to manage the condition while being pregnant. (I even wrote a book about it, Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby.) Having type 1 diabetes means I'm in the minority: Of the approximately 29 million Americans who have diabetes, only 1.25 million have type 1. Most have type 2, which is a totally different form. "Comparing type 1 to type 2 is like comparing apples to tractors," says Gary Scheiner, a Pennsylvania-based certified diabetes educator and author of Think Like a Pancreas. "The only thing they really have in common is that both involve an inability to control blood sugar levels." Here are 5 important distinctions. 1. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease; type 2 isn't. Diabetes happens when your body has trouble with insulin, a hormone that helps convert sugar from the food you eat into energy. When there isn’t enough insulin in your body, sugar builds up in the bloodstream and can make you sick. People with type 1 and type 2 both face this problem, but how they arrived there is quite different. If you have type 1, you don't make any insulin at all. That's because type 1 is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-making cells in your Continue reading >>
Type 1 Vs Type 2 Diabetes (similarities And Differences) Center
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition in which a person's blood sugar (glucose) levels are too high. Over 29.1 million children and adults in the US have diabetes. Of that, 8.1 million people have diabetes and don't even know it. Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent, juvenile) is caused by a problem with insulin production by the pancreas. Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent) is caused by: Eating a lot of foods and drinking beverages with simple carbohydrates (pizza, white breads, pastas, cereals, pastries, etc.) and simple sugars (donuts, candy, etc.) Consuming too many products with artificial sweeteners (We found out that they are bad for us!) Lack of activity Exercise Stress Genetics While the signs and symptoms of both types of diabetes are the same, which include: However, the treatments are different. Type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent, which means a person with this type of diabetes requires treatment with insulin. People with type 2 diabetes require medication, lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise. Read more: Type 1 vs Type 2 Diabetes (Similarities and Differences) Article What Is Type 2 Diabetes? Type 2 diabetes can affect all people, regardless of age. Early symptoms of type 2 diabetes may be missed, so those affected may not even know they have the condition. An estimated one out of every three people within the early stages of type 2 diabetes are not aware they have it. Diabetes interferes with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates for energy, leading to high levels of blood sugar. These chronically high blood sugar levels increase a person's risk of developing serious health problems. Potential Consequences of High Blood Sugar Nerve problems Vision loss Joint deformities Cardiovascular disease Diabetic Continue reading >>
The Differences & Similarities Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes
“Oh, you have diabetes? That’s where you can’t eat sugar and have to poke yourself with needles and stuff because you ate too much candy as a kid…right?” *sigh* Wrong. Most people have no clue what diabetes is let alone that there is more than one type of diabetes. Type 1, type 2, LADA, MODY, and gestational are just some classification examples of diabetes. All have a range of differences and similarities but the two most common forms are type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As type 1 and type 2 diabetics [should] know, there are a few major differences between the two conditions which, all too often, get confused and misconstrued by the public. Yet, there are also a few similarities that get overlooked even among people in the diabetic community. Take a look at these two major forms of diabetes and make sure you can not only distinguish the differences but also share the similarities. Similarities Symptoms The symptoms for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are identical in most ways. Both conditions involve three distinct symptoms prior to diagnosis: Polyuria – excessive urination often due to high blood sugar Polydipsia – excessive thirst Polyphagia – excessive hunger In type 2 diabetes, symptoms tend to be more gradual than type 1 but they both still share these symptoms along with the other usual byproducts of diabetes like high and low blood sugar, increased agitation, shaky/sweaty blood sugar reactions, as well as the more severe hypoglycemic events that can lead to seizures, coma, and death. Complications People often ask “so, do you have the bad kind of diabetes” and it kind of makes my ears bleed. There is no “good kind” of diabetes and anyone who thinks there is either doesn’t understand diabetes or is living in a warped world of “th Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Vs Type 2
National Diabetes Month is coming to a close. Unfortunately, diabetes isn’t going away any time soon. According to the American Diabetes Association, 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. And 86 million people in the United States with prediabetes are headed towards developing Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes isn’t unique to the United States: It’s a global issue, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Many people describe diabetes as being a pandemic. When people are diagnosed with diabetes, they often have many questions, especially about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. There are, in fact, multiple different forms of diabetes (too many to get into in this week’s posting!), but the more common forms are Type 1 and Type 2. Let’s take a look at these this week and hopefully clear up any confusion or questions you may have. Type 1 diabetes Name: Type 1 diabetes was formerly known as “juvenile diabetes” and “insulin-dependent diabetes.” These terms are inaccurate and obsolete. We know that it’s not just “juveniles” who get Type 1 diabetes — adults get Type 1, too, and many people who have Type 2 diabetes must take insulin. So, Type 1 diabetes is the correct term. Definition: Type 1 diabetes (also known as Type 1 diabetes mellutis, or T1DM) is an autoimmune condition. This means that the body’s immune system turns on itself; in this case, it attacks the beta cells of the pancreas. These are the cells that produce insulin. As a result, the pancreas produces very little, if any, insulin. Causes: Scientists don’t exactly know what causes Type 1 diabetes. However, it’s likely that genetics and environmental factors, such as certain types of viruses, play a role. Prevalence: Type 1 diabetes accounts Continue reading >>
What's The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes share the problem of high levels of blood sugar. The inability to control blood sugar causes the symptoms and the complications of both types of diabetes. But type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are two different diseases in many ways. According to the latest (2014) estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 29.1 million people, or 9.3 percent of the U.S. population, have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes affects just 5 percent of those adults, with type 2 diabetes affecting up to 95 percent. Here’s what else you need to know to be health-savvy in the age of the diabetes epidemic. What Causes Diabetes? "Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease — the body's immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that make insulin," a hormone, says Andjela Drincic, MD, associate professor of internal medicine in the division of diabetes, endocrinology, and metabolism at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. The exact cause is not known, but it's probably a combination of the genes a person is born with and something in the environment that triggers the genes to become active. "The cause of type 2 diabetes is multifactorial," says Dr. Drincic. "People inherit genes that make them susceptible to type 2, but lifestyle factors, like obesity and inactivity, are also important. In type 2 diabetes, at least in the early stages, there is enough insulin, but the body becomes resistant to it." Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include a family history of the disease, a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. African-Americans, Latin Americans, and certain Native American groups have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than Caucasian Americans. Juvenile or Adult-Onset: When Does Diabetes Start? Usually, type 1 diabetes in dia Continue reading >>
The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes vs. Type 2 Diabetes: What’s the Difference? Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can certainly have similar symptoms and complications, but it’s a mistake to conflate them. Yet, conversations about diabetes on your Twitter feed or the evening news often fail to specify, referring simply to “diabetes” and ignoring the uniqueness of the two types. “In type 1 diabetes, your body cannot produce any insulin,” says Sonal Chaudhry, MD, an endocrinologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. “In type 2 diabetes, your body produces insulin, but may not be enough to produce enough to overcome the peripheral insulin resistance.” Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps move blood glucose from the bloodstream to cells for energy, according to Dr. Chaudhry. When the body does not have enough insulin, excess glucose remains in the bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia. (Learn more about how insulin works here.) Over time, this can damage critical organs like your heart, kidneys, and brain. In type 1 diabetes, previously known as “juvenile diabetes,” the immune system attacks the pancreas and prevents it from making insulin. “There’s usually a genetic predisposition,” says Minisha Sood, MD, an endocrinologist in New York City, “and then some inciting event—some precipitating factor—that set off the immune system.” As a result, the immune system attacks the pancreas. Patients with type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, do make insulin, but their livers and muscles do not respond to the insulin as they should, which is known as insulin resistance . After eating a meal, they may see a blood sugar spike because the insulin is not moving glucose out of the bloodstream. “Their body will produce insulin, an Continue reading >>
The Type 1 Versus Type 2 Diabetes War
DiabetesHealth.com recently published “What People with Type 1 Diabetes can Learn from Type 2s.” Clay Wirestone, the author, set off a firestorm of comments, mostly from people with type 1 diabetes. Comments were in the vein of, “How dare you tell me I can learn something from those lazy, fat type 2s!” Here’s a sampling of comments: “I’m type 1, and... it aggravates me when people with type 2... whine. You know why? Because... I’m stuck on insulin for the rest of my life... I don’t want to hear complaining from people who have it easier than me. I have the world’s smallest violin playing for them. :)” “I have been a type 1 for 43 years. I have told my doctor... that I wish type 1 was called diabetes and type 2 was given a totally different name. They are NOT the same disease! Try and explain that to non-diabetics. Listen very carefully. I cannot take a day off. If I eat everything my dietitian suggests, I must still check my blood glucose four to seven times per day and take numerous injections ... How many type 2’s have been unconscious in the middle of the night due to low blood sugar?” “As a long-standing T1 (37 years — I was diagnosed in 1973 at the age of 17 months) AND as a Registered Nurse Certified Diabetes Educator, I am appalled... The author obviously has no idea what T1, or for that matter, T2 patients go through on a daily basis.The media needs to be scolded when they fail to define the differences between T1 & T2.” Shall we say Wirestone opened Pandora’s box. With the recent explosion of media coverage for type 2 diabetes, people with type 1 diabetes feel invisible, overlooked and are often blamed by an unknowing public for causing their own condition—eating ourselves into our disease. This isn’t the case for type 1, Continue reading >>
What's The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes?
First, the formal name for what we commonly call diabetes is diabetes mellitus, which translates from the Greek as making lots of urine with sugar in it or making lots of sweet urine. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are diseases that have in common, sugar in the urine and the increased urination. When there are high amounts of sugar in the blood, the kidneys filter sugar into the urine. Sugar can be measured in the urine through a lab test commonly called a urinalysis. Urine dipsticks are also used to show sugar in the urine. Patients who develop diabetes mellitus most commonly have initial symptoms of increased thirst, increased urination and blurred vision due to high amounts of sugar in the fluids of the eye. Type 1 diabetes results from a rheumatoid-like autoimmune reaction in which one's own body attacks and destroys the beta cells of the pancreas. These are the cells that normally produce insulin. Type 1 is a disease in which the patient in a relatively short time has no insulin production. All patients with type 1 diabetes can also develop a serious metabolic disorder called ketoacidosis when their blood sugars are high and there is not enough insulin in their body. Ketoacidosis can be fatal unless treated as an emergency with hydration and insulin. Type 1 was once commonly called juvenile diabetes mellitus because it is most commonly diagnosed in children. It should be noted that even older adults in their 60s have occasionally been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. One should think of it as a disease of high blood sugars due to a deficiency of insulin production. It must be treated by administration of insulin. Insulin is given at least twice a day and is often given four times a day in type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes rates are growing dramatically Continue reading >>
Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes: What’s The Difference?
There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Both types of diabetes are chronic diseases that affect the way your body regulates blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is the fuel that feeds your body’s cells, but to enter your cells it needs a key. Insulin is that key. People with type 1 diabetes don’t produce insulin. You can think of it as not having a key. People with type 2 diabetes don’t respond to insulin as well as they should and later in the disease often don’t make enough insulin. You can think of this as having a broken key. Both types of diabetes can lead to chronically high blood sugar levels. That increases the risk of diabetes complications. Both types of diabetes, if not controlled, share many similar symptoms, including: frequent urination feeling very thirsty and drinking a lot feeling very hungry feeling very fatigued blurry vision cuts or sores that don’t heal properly People with type 1 diabetes may also experience irritability and mood changes, and unintentionally lose weight. People with type 2 diabetes may also have numbness and tingling in their hands or feet. Although many of the symptoms of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are similar, they present in very different ways. Many people with type 2 diabetes won’t have symptoms for many years. Then often the symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop slowly over the course of time. Some people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms at all and don’t discover their condition until complications develop. The symptoms of type 1 diabetes develop fast, typically over the course of several weeks. Type 1 diabetes, which was once known as juvenile diabetes, usually develops in childhood or adolescence. But it’s possible to get type 1 diabetes later in life. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes may have simi Continue reading >>
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes your body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy. Sometimes people call diabetes “a touch of sugar” or “borderline diabetes.” These terms suggest that someone doesn’t really have diabetes or has a less serious case, but every case of diabetes is serious. What are the different types of diabetes? The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive. Type 2 diabetes If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes. Gestational diabetes Gestational diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a greater chan Continue reading >>
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Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes: What’s The Difference?
If your child or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, you may be wondering how the disease differs from type 2 diabetes — the form people tend to know more about. What causes type 1 versus type 2 diabetes? Are the symptoms the same? And how is each treated? Here to clear up the confusion with an overview of key differences — and similarities — between these two types of diabetes are experts Julie Settles, M.S.N., A.C.N.P.-B.C., C.E.N., a clinical research scientist at Lilly Diabetes, and Rosemary Briars, N.D., P.N.P.-B.C., C.D.E., C.C.D.C., clinical director and program co-director of the Chicago Children’s Diabetes Center at La Rabida Children’s Hospital. Causes Diabetes, or diabetes mellitus, as it’s formally known in medical terms, describes a group of metabolic diseases in which a person develops high blood glucose (blood sugar). The underlying health factors causing the high blood sugar will determine whether someone is diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which “the body’s immune system starts to make antibodies that are targeted directly at the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (islet cells),” explains Briars. Over time, the immune system “gradually destroys the islet cells, so insulin is no longer made and the person has to take insulin every day, from then on,” she says. As for why this happens, Settles notes, “The immune system normally fights off viruses and bacteria that we do not want in our body, but when it causes diabetes, it is because something has gone wrong and now the body attacks its own cells.” Triggering this autoimmune response is a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors that researchers are still trying to fully understand. O Continue reading >>