Index
- Understanding the different forms of diabetes
- Definition of diabetes
- The role played by insulin
- What are the different types of diabetes?
- Type 1 diabetes
- Type 2 diabetes
- Gestational diabetes
Understanding the different forms of diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most characteristic diseases of the 21st century. Without proper treatment, this disease can cause serious complications. Moreover, it can affect children and young people as well as adults. There are different forms of diabetes: type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. In this article, you will find out what to remember about each of these forms and what characterizes them. You will also learn about the role of insulin in keeping the body functioning properly.
Definition of diabetes
First and foremost, diabetes is a chronic disease. As such, it persists throughout the life of the patient. This pathology is linked to a disorder in relation to the use, assimilation and storage of the sugars that food brings to the body. These disorders cause an increase in the level of glucose in the blood. This level is called glycemia, so we speak of hyperglycemia. This increase in the glucose level is due to a lack of or a problem with the use of insulin.
For your information, you should be aware that normal blood glucose levels should not exceed 1.10 g/l on an empty stomach. After a meal, the reference is 1.40 g/l. When a patient has fasting blood glucose levels above 1.26 g/l twice in a row, he or she is considered to have diabetes.
The role played by insulin
Insulin that is lacking or not used properly in diabetes is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It is always present in the blood and its function is to keep the blood sugar level in balance around 1 g/l when the diet is too rich in glucose. Thus, after a meal, the extra glucose intake causes the pancreas to secrete more insulin in order to regulate the blood sugar level. But when this hormone is insufficient or no longer fulfils its role, sugar accumulates in the blood and causes hyperglycaemia. This is what usually happens in a person with diabetes.
What are the different types of diabetes?
As mentioned above, the type of diabetes that affects people with diabetes is not the same. Indeed, there are different forms of diabetes. In this respect, their symptoms and treatments are not the same.
Type 1 diabetes
Known as insulin-dependent or lean diabetes, type 1 diabetes accounts for 10-15% of all diabetes cases. It usually affects non-obese people under the age of 30. This chronic pathology is due to the destruction of cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing insulin. These cells are called islet beta cells. The patient's body does not recognize these cells and destroys them via antibodies. As a result, the body's cells are no longer able to properly receive the glucose from the diet and it returns to the bloodstream, causing hyperglycaemia. Among the hypothetical causes of lean diabetes are environmental factors (viruses, toxic substances,...) and genetic predisposition.
Generally, the symptoms of type 1 diabetes are :
- An intense thirst
- Rapid weight loss
- Abundant and frequent
The only treatment for the management of type 1 diabetes to date remains insulin. The patient has two choices for this: injections or the insulin pump. The latter is designed to deliver insulin continuously.
Type 2 diabetes
Known as fatty diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes mainly affects people around the age of 50 who are overweight. Approximately 90% of diabetes cases are type 2 diabetes. For this form of the disease, certain abnormalities cause hyperglycemia. This is the case of the pancreas, which continues to produce insulin, but in insufficient quantity. This is called insulinopenia. It can also happen that the amount of insulin produced is sufficient, but the insulin is not able to play its role properly. This is called insulin resistance.
Type 2 diabetes is painless and can go unnoticed for years. In fact, 5 to 10 years go by before the first hyperglycemia occurs. To treat type 2 diabetes, the patient must take medication and follow a diet. After the disease has progressed for a few years, it is likely that insulin- based treatment will also be prescribed.
Gestational diabetes
This form of diabetes is also called gestational diabetes. It usually occurs during the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy. In some cases, diabetes was already present before pregnancy, but could not be detected. A woman with gestational diabetes then presents the following few symptoms:
- An intense thirst
- Unusual fatigue
- Heavy urination
- Very rapid weight loss or gain
The treatment of gestational diabetes is adapted to each individual case. But generally, doctors recommend lifestyle and dietary changes. To do this, the pregnant woman should monitor her carbohydrate intake on a daily basis and eat fewer foods that contain too much saturated fat.
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