How many types of diabetes are there and how to know 1 type 2 type and 3 type diabetes?

Answer 1

Types of Diabetes

There are three types of Diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes mellitus or GDM.

Type 1 Diabetes

This type of diabetes is caused by an auto-immune reaction, which means that the body's defense mechanism attacks the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. Therefore the body no longer produces the necessary insulin. It is not clear what causes type 1 diabetes which affects especially children and young adults. Type 1 diabetics need insulin injections every day to control the level of glucose in their blood, without which they would die. They could lead a normal life only with the daily insulin injections, healthy diet, close monitoring and regular physical exercise.

Type 1 diabetes develops suddenly and the characteristic symptoms are: blurred vision. Recurrent infections, sudden weight loss, slow-healing wounds, constant hunger, abnormal thirst and dry mouth, extreme tiredness or lack of energy and frequent urination.

Type 2 Diabetes

This is the most common type of this disease and although it usually occurs in adults, over the recent years it has been seen in children and adolescents. As opposed to type 1 diabetes, in this type of the disease the body produces insulin, but not enough or the body does not respond to its effects, resulting in a build-up of glucose in the blood.

It might take years until the symptoms are recognized or visible, a period during which the body is continuously damaged by excess blood glucose. The causes for type 2 diabetes are: ethnicity, increasing age, poor diet, physical inactivity, poor nutrition during pregnancy, family history of diabetes or obesity.

People with type 2 diabetes do not need daily insulin injections, but insulin may be prescribed with the oral medication, besides increased physical activity and a healthy diet. The number of people suffering of type 2 diabetes is in a continuous increase and some of the factor blamed for this are dietary changes, ageing populations, increasing urbanization, economic development, changes in lifestyles and reduced physical activity.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

When women are diagnosed with diabetes while they are pregnant they have gestational diabetes mellitus. This means that the body is not capable to produce and use enough insulin necessary for the pregnancy. The disease usually develops later in pregnancy, therefore the risk to the baby is lower if the mothers would have type 1 or 2 diabetes. Women with GDM have to control the level of glucose in the blood through a healthy diet but also insulin and oral medication.

GDM usually disappears after birth, but unfortunately the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is high for the mothers, as well as for the children born to mothers with GDM.

The high level of glucose in blood can lead to several diseases which affect the blood vessels and heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. This means that diabetics have a higher risk of developing serious health problems as well as infections. Diabetes is the main cause for blindness, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure or even lower limb amputation.