3 Types Of Diabetes

Diabetes is indeed a common condition that can hit just about anybody in the world right now. You might think that only adults can be afflicted with diabetes, but this is not the case at all. Children, and even pets, can become afflicted with the condition. Thus, it pays to know the types of diabetes, to be as educated about the condition as possible.

In its most basic form, diabetes is actually a metabolic syndrome that affects the human body, as it is unable to take in and make use of its main fuel source, which is glucose. This is in spite of the fact that the blood has more than sufficient amount of glucose already. Why does this happen, you may ask. This is because of the body’s inability to produce or to properly use a hormone known as insulin. This is actually a hormone that is needed in the conversion of glucose to energy.

Now that we know the underlying cause of the condition, let us move on to the three known types.

Type 1 Diabetes

This is actually an autoimmune disease. With this type, your body is unable to produce sufficient amount of insulin, and this is doe to the fact that you are losing the beta cells responsible for the production of insulin. These beta cells are located in the islets of Langerhans, right in your pancreas. Another term for type 1 Diabetes is Juvenile Diabetes or childhood diabetes, and this type often occurs in children.

Type 2 Diabetes 

This time around, the disorder is metabolic in nature. The body is still unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin. There is also cell failure occurring in this condition. When it comes to insulin resistance or reduced insulin sensitivity, these are actually still considered Type 2 Diabetes. Interestingly, this type is the most common amongst the three types, even adding up to roughly 95% of diabetic cases worldwide.

Gestational Diabetes 

This type is quite similar to Type 2; only that gestational diabetes comes with a different population distribution. For the most part, gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women, in an average of roughly 2 to 5 percent. There is not much cause for worry here because the condition disappears after pregnant women have delivered their babies. However, when left untreated, the condition can become very dangerous and fatal for both the mother and the fetus. Certain complications can arise; such as macrosomia and congenital cardiac abnormalities in the fetus. Thus, you should not put off seeing your obstetrician when you are dealing with this condition.