Identifying the 3 Types of Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Around 10 percent of all diagnosed diabetes cases fall under the Type 1 variety, which is also called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, as the pancreas produces little or no insulin for converting blood glucose into energy. It is supposed that some kind of viral or environmental influences, including dietary conditions or elements of stress, interrupts the insulin supply which may be the cause for diabetes but it is not known for sure. This type of diabetes is often called juvenile onset diabetes, and for decades it had its own category as such, citing its appearance in children between 7 to 12 years of age, but it can afflict people in any age category.

Type 2 Diabetes

When the pancreas is able to produce insulin but cannot meet the energy demands of the body, it can result in insulin resistance, also known as Type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes usually affects adults, very often appearing in people above the age of 40 and is also called NIDDM (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) or adult onset diabetes. Hereditary factors can influence the body cells as well as weight issues, especially in the liver, fat, and muscles, causing 90 percent of all diabetes patients to no longer use insulin efficiently enough.

Gestational diabetes

When a woman who has a genetic risk factor for diabetes becomes pregnant, it is suspected that the hormonal changes during the pregnancy may bring on gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is the least common form of diabetes and only occurs during pregnancy either as Type 1 or Type 2. Only around 2 ? 4 percent of pregnant women are afflicted by this diabetes and after birth, it commonly vanishes. Unfortunately it can affect the unborn foetus in some cases and women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to manifest Type 2 diabetes later in their lives.

Other causes

Different medical circumstances, such as chronic pancreatitis, problems with the endocrine glands resulting in Cushing's syndrome, or other chronic organ diseases, can influence the onset of diabetes. If the pancreas suffers an injury or has to be removed, the body loses its insulin factory and diabetes may occur. It can also stem from medications such as Prednisone, a steroid medication that can cause increased risk for diabetes, as well as some diuretic tablets in the market which trigger insulin resistance. Even some genetic conditions like Dow's syndrome or Turner's syndrome, and different types of muscular dystrophies can lead to diabetes.