Type 1 Diabetes Causes & Symptoms

What is type 1 diabetes, and what causes it? Type 1 diabetes is a form of diabetes mellitus in which the immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, so blood sugar rises.

It is most often diagnosed in children and young adults, but it can develop at any age. Type 2 diabetes, the most common type, happens when the body does not make enough insulin or does not use it well. It occurs most often in middle-aged and older adults, though children can get it too.

The two types have different causes. Type 1 diabetes does not turn into type 2 diabetes.

People with type 1 diabetes need insulin every day to stay alive. It is given with a needle and syringe, an insulin pen or an insulin pump, not as a pill. In type 2 diabetes, cells respond poorly to insulin, and treatment may include lifestyle changes, pills, injectable medicines or insulin.

Role of the Insulin

Once enough beta cells are destroyed, the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, an organ behind the stomach. Here is how it works:

1. When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which raises the amount of glucose in your blood.
2. In a person without diabetes, the pancreas releases enough insulin after the meal. Insulin helps glucose move into cells such as muscle and fat cells, where it is used for energy or stored. Blood glucose then returns to its normal range.
3. In type 1 diabetes, little or no insulin is made, so glucose stays in the blood and blood sugar rises.

Type 1 Diabetes Causes

The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is not fully known. It is an autoimmune disease: researchers believe genes and factors in the environment trigger the immune system to attack beta cells.

1- Genetic and Immune Factors

Normally the immune system fights germs. In type 1 diabetes, it mistakenly attacks the body's own beta cells.

Having a parent or sibling with type 1 diabetes raises your risk. Certain genes are linked to the disease, but genes alone do not explain who gets it.

2- Environmental Factors

Environmental factors also seem to play a role in developing type 1 diabetes. Researchers are still studying which ones matter. Possible triggers include:

• Viral infections

Some viral infections are being studied as possible triggers of the immune attack in people who are already genetically at risk.

• Other autoimmune diseases

Having another autoimmune disease is linked to a higher chance of type 1 diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 diabetes symptoms usually develop quickly, over a few days or weeks, especially in children. In some adults they come on more slowly. They include:

• Heavy thirst (polydipsia)
• Increased hunger
• Frequent urination (polyuria)
• Bedwetting in a child who was dry at night
• Unexplained weight loss, even when you are eating well
• Feeling very tired
• Blurred vision
• Frequent infections, such as urinary tract, skin or yeast infections

Sometimes the first sign of type 1 diabetes is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a medical emergency. Signs include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fruity-smelling breath and deep, labored breathing (medically known as Kussmaul respiration).

If you or your child has these symptoms, seek medical care right away. A doctor can diagnose diabetes with a simple blood test.

Sources

• Type 1 Diabetes, NIDDK
• Type 2 Diabetes, NIDDK