causes of diabetes

Type 1

In type 1 diabetes the cells in the pancreas that make insulin are destroyed, causing a severe lack of insulin. This is usually thought to be the result of the body attacking and destroying its own cells in the pancreas – known as an autoimmune reaction.

It’s not clear why this happens, but a number of explanations and possible triggers have been proposed. These include:

• infection with a specific virus or bacteria
• exposure to food-borne chemical toxins
• exposure as a very young infant to cow’s milk, where an as yet unidentified component triggers the autoimmune reaction

However, these are only hypotheses and are not proven causes.

As with other autoimmune diseases, an underlying genetic disposition seems to play a part, leaving people more vulnerable to these triggers.

In rare cases, damage to the pancreas by tumours, toxins or injury (including surgery), can also lead to Type 1 diabetes.

Type 2

Development of Type 2 diabetes is usually multifactorial – that is, several factors combine to cause it, and the most important is genetics. Children of people with Type 2 diabetes have a 1 in 3 chance of developing the condition.

In this type of diabetes the receptors on cells in the body that normally respond to the action of insulin fail to be stimulated by it – this is known as insulin resistance.

In response to this, more insulin may be produced, and this overproduction exhausts the insulin-manufacturing cells in the pancreas. There is simply insufficient insulin available and the insulin that is available may be abnormal and so doesn’t work properly.

The following risk factors increase the chances of someone developing type 2 diabetes:

• increasing age
• obesity
• physical inactivity

Rarer causes of Type 2 diabetes include:

• certain medicines
• pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• any illness or disease that damages the pancreas and affects its ability to produce insulin, such as pancreatitis

This information has kindly been provided my the BBC health website.

diabetic symptoms

Development of symptoms

In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to develop rapidly, over a couple of weeks, and are more severe. In type 2 diabetes, symptoms develop slowly and are usually milder.

Common symptoms of both types of diabetes are:

• increased thirst
• passing water frequently, especially at night
• tiredness and fatigue
• loss of weight
• genital itching or recurrent thrush

In type 1 diabetes, less common symptoms are:

• cramps
• constipation
• blurred vision
• recurrent skin infections

In type 2 diabetes, symptoms may go unnoticed for years, and only when complications of diabetes – such as foot ulceration or blurred vision occur – is diabetes diagnosed. Remember that all the symptoms may not be present. Whenever any of these symptoms arise, it’s important to be tested for diabetes.

Diagnosing diabetes

Diabetes may be detected in a routine urine test where excess glucose is present. In type 1 diabetes, people often develop symptoms over a few weeks. They may feel thirsty all the time and need to urinate a lot, and they may feel tired and lose weight.

A blood test that measures the level of glucose in the blood will confirm whether or not the underlying cause is diabetes.

This information has kindly been provided my the BBC health website.