Additionally,
what are the MAJOR differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
DLifeline, Questions and Answers about Diabetes
Diabetes Health Lifeline - A Discussion about Diabetes Type 1 and 2
Additionally,
what are the MAJOR differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Type 1 diabetes can emerge at any age. However, Diabetes that emerges at a young age is usually Type 1, as opposed to Type 2 which generally occurs after the age of 30.
The cause of Diabetes is not yet known, but studies have shown certain genes to be associated with an increased risk for Diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by a loss of 90% or more of the insulin (a hormone necessary for the uptake of glucose from blood) producing cells of the pancreas so that very little, if any, insulin is present in the body. In Type 2 Diabetes, on the other hand, insulin is present often in normal or even greater than normal levels. The issue for those with Type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance. This resistance means that the insulin present is not very effective, thus more of it is needed, and the body is unable to meet that increased demand for the hormone (insulin).
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Search&search=type+1+diabetes&fulltext=Search&ns0=1&redirs=0
Answers all the questions you have
Type 1 diabetes is usually referred to as Juvenile Diabetes, because it usually becomes apparent under the age of 20. Type 1 is usually a weakness in the pancreas, which manufactures insulin for your system. Type 2 generally shows up later in life and usually is a resistance to insulin as you get older and have gained weight. Your pancreas may not produce enough insulin or the receptors in your muscles can’t remember how to use the insulin for fuel. They haven’t proved that Type 1 or Type 2 are hereditary or not, but you certainly are born with a susceptibility for the disease. So, now matter which you’ve been diagnosed with, the best thing you can do for yourself is to eat properly, get enough exercise, and plenty of rest. And take any medication your doctor may prescribe on a regular basis. Good luck.
Yes, type 1 occurs at an early age.
Type 1 can occur in adulthood, but it is called type 1.5 or LADA (Latent Autoimmune Disease in Adults).
Type 2 is generally referred to as insulin resistance. This is purportedly caused by being over 40, fat, eating bad foods, and a sedentary lifestyle.
However, Type 2 can be caused by many medications, and even at a younger age than 40.
The biggest differences are that with a type 1 (or 1.5) you MUST have to inject insulin to survive because your pancreas doesn’t make enough (or any).
Type 2 can be controlled with diet and exercise and some oral medications (initially), but usually progresses on to needing insulin shots to survive, if you live that long or don’t manage blood sugars properly.
Type 1 doesnt emerge at a young age only - I was 26 when I was diagnosed with it - my doctors seemed to think that I had somehow insulted my pancreas through a virus or something of the sort and it quit making insulin altogether. I was directly put on insulin and have been on different types of it throughout the last 10 years. When my son was born, I asked what the likelihood was that he would also get it - they said around 3-4% but I think it could be higher because my husband is Cheyenne and Native Americans have a rather high incidence of it.
There are differences between the 2. Type 1 diabetics do not make insulin and type 2 diabetics - their bodies cannot utilize the insulin that is being produced - that is my understanding of it 0
Hope this helps!
Type 1 Diabetes which is also known as juvenile diabetes, affects about 5-10% of all those who are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus every year. The main cause of this type of diabetes is due to a malfunction in the ability to produce insulin, a hormone that is used to help control how glucose is used within the body. This malfunction can cause several symptoms once the glucose levels in the blood begin to rise from non-dispersal of the required insulin into the body to handle the glucose levels.
The most common form of diabetes is Type 2 diabetes. It starts when the body does not correctly respond to insulin, which is a hormone that is released by the pancreas. This is a lifelong disease that is caused by high levels of sugar being present in the blood.
Type 1 diabetes is traditionally associated with younger people, but, as we get better at distinguishing the biology of type 1 vs. type 2 diabetes, it’s turning out that about half of all cases of type 1 diabetes are developing after the age of 18. Conversely, while type 2 has traditionally been associated with middle-aged adults, it is now being identified in children as young as 7 years of age.
A previous answer mentioned LADA, which is a minor variant of type 1, but it is not simply "type 1 appearing in an adult". Type 1 is caused by a spectrum of antibodies ("GAD antibodies") attacking and killing the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas and it develops very quickly - I personally went from no evidence of diabetes to hospitalized with near-fatal ketoacidosis in the space of about 6 months. LADA, on the other hand, involves only a single antibody (GAD-65) attacking the pancreas and, therefore, tends to develop more slowly over the course of a year or more.
Type 1 diabetes is not strictly hereditary - as already mentioned, the chances of passing it on to your children are very low and some of us have developed it with no known family history of type 1 - but there is probably a genetic component making you susceptible, which then needs to be triggered by some environmental influence. We’re not sure yet what this environmental factor is, but it’s widely believed to be a virus.
Although I haven’t looked into the details, there have been many reports over the last week or two about a recent study suggesting that type 1 diabetes may be related to vitamin D deficiency early in life.
The major difference is that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, in which your immune system destroys your body’s ability to produce insulin, while type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which your body fails to respond properly to insulin. Because insulin is an absolute requirement for (mammalian) life, people with type 1 diabetes must receive externally-supplied insulin (via injections or an insulin pump) or they will die in fairly short order. People with type 2, on the other hand, may require externally-supplied insulin to manage their blood glucose levels and prevent long-term complications, but will generally not be in immediate danger if it is unavailable. The primary treatments for type 2 diabetes are based in the use of exercise and medication to improve their body’s ability to respond to insulin and controlling diet to minimize the amount of insulin required in the first place.