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Top 5 types of diabetes you should know about
Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of metabolic disorders that cause high blood sugar levels over a long period of time.
Under normal circumstances, the body breaks down sugars (carbohydrates) into glucose, which basically fuels body cells and functions. To do this, the cells need insulin to absorb the glucose for energy production.
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. Factspedia says it is considered the body’s main anabolic hormone.
The peptide hormone absorbs glucose as possible. It regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins by promoting the absorption of glucose from the blood into fat, liver and skeletal muscle cells.
It is insulin that helps absorb the sugar in the bloodstream and use it for energy. Insulin also helps balance your blood sugar levels.
1. Type 1 diabetes (juvenile)
Also known as insulin-dependent diabetes, this type begins in childhood and is therefore known as an autoimmune disease. It can be seen in children and young adults. Sufferers of this diabetes have a malfunctioning pancreas that interferes with insulin production.
While the cause of pancreatic failure is not strictly speaking, some genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors can contribute. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas.
This type develops more quickly and comes with symptoms such as weight loss or a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis, which occurs when you have very high blood sugar but little or no insulin in your body.
2. Type 2 diabetes
This is where the body either resists insulin or doesn’t produce enough of it.
Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance. This is where the body fails or cannot use insulin efficiently, and the pancreas produces more insulin until it can no longer produce it. With this decrease comes high blood sugar.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Hyperemesis Gravidarum
Factors leading to this condition include lifestyle, eating habits, genetics, obesity and lack of exercise. Type 2 diabetes often takes longer to diagnose. Treatments include diet, exercise, medication, and insulin therapy.
Type 2 commonly occurs in people over the age of 45. However, recent statistics show that younger people are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to obesity and lack of exercise.
3. Type 3c diabetes (pancreatogenic)
Pancreatogenic diabetes is a type of diabetes that is still being researched. It accounts for about 5-10% of all diabetics. Chronic pancreatitis is one of the main causes of this condition.
Other causes are:
- pancreatic disease
- pancreatic resection
- Chronic pancreatitis (caused by exocrine insufficiency, maldigestion and malnutrition).
- Missing genes in the E2F group
4. Gestational Diabetes
As the name suggests, gestational diabetes is the type that pregnant women suffer from. It occurs when the insulin blocks the hormones produced during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes can threaten the life of mother and child. It can lead to high blood pressure, preeclampsia, miscarriage or stillbirth, and birth defects
Women who have this type of diabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later. It is detected by blood tests and can be treated by a doctor within months.
In order to bring the sugar level back to normal, women invest in exercise and a healthy diet. Other strategies such as medication, blood sugar, and baby monitoring are used to manage the condition.
5. Pre-diabetes
This is the condition where blood sugar is high but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes.
According to the University of Ibadan College of Medicine, there are over 1.5 million cases per year in Nigeria. Likewise, many people are in this stage without even knowing it.
It is detected by blood tests and can be treated medically. Unless diagnosed, it progresses to type 2 diabetes within 10 years.
There are usually no symptoms at this point. With lifestyle changes, weight loss and medications that develop into full-blown type 2 diabetes can be avoided.
Common symptoms of diabetes (all types of diabetes) include:
- Excessive thirst and hunger
- Frequent urination
- drowsiness or tiredness
- Dry, itchy skin
- Blurred vision
- Slowly healing wounds
