Type 1 Diabetes happens when your immune system destroys the cells which are present in the pancreas called as the beta cells. These beta cells in the pancreas are responsible to make or produce insulin. The other Type of diabetes is called Type 2 Diabetes which is similar to the Type 1 diabetes except the fact that the immune system does not destroy the insulin producing beta cells, but they get wiped off by some disease or injury to the pancreas.
Type 1 Diabetes is rare. Only about 5- 10% of the people with diabetes have this Type 1. It is common in whites and the African- Americans, although affects both men and women, and has no partiality in this aspect! This Type 1 diabetes usually starts in humans under the age of 20 and can happen at any point in life at any age.
Diabetes Type 1 Definition:
Firstly it is important to know what does the Insulin do?
The discovery of insulin has its own importance in the medical world. Doctors initially feared diabetes to be a deadly disease. Later in the 19th century, they found out that the sugar levels worsened up diabetes and limiting it could really help. But that was not enough to curtail it. Hence, the further researchers found out that there are clustered cells (now called as beta cells) in the pancreas were damaged causing diabetes. Insulin is basically a hormone which is produced in our body. The protein is responsible to regulate the blood glucose level as a part of the body metabolism.
The glucose levels are controlled by this insulin so that the rate of the production of glucose by the liver matches the rate that the cells need in our body for metabolism. If there is a lack of insulin in the liver, the liver has a tendency to release glucose into the tissues for the cells faster than what it requires for the metabolism.
Thus in Type 1 Diabetes, the body is unable to process this glucose due to the lack of insulin which in turn causes the blood sugar levels in the body to be increased and has a long-term or a short-term effect.
Diabetes Type 1 Symptoms:
People may experience each or some of the below symptoms. It depends on the body to body as to what the symptoms would be like. Initial Type 1 diabetes does not show up a lot of discomforts. However, only when the insulin production in the pancreas reduces, certain typical symptoms show up:
- Strong urge to urinate — this may be more visible at night hours as the kidney tries to get the excess sugar in the blood out.
- Increased thirst — to support the above point, if the excess sugar needs to be thrown out of the body from blood, it needs more water to get rid of it.
- Fast weight loss — You feel hungry as you aren’t using away all the calories in your body, however, many of it gets rid off in your urine.
- Excessive hunger — Again the same reason that you feel hungry as you aren’t using away all the calories in your body.
- Fatigue — Tired and hungry has the same reason. The body isn’t using all its calories but also is not generating any energy out of it.
- Blurry vision — sugar builds up in the lenses of your eyes and sucks extra water into your eyes. Eventually, changes the shape of the lens causing blurry vision.
Few more of the symptoms of high blood sugar:
- Rapid breathing
- Fruity breath odor
- Nausea
- Vomiting sensation or stomach pain
- Hot flashes, dry skin
- Restlessness
Also, Ketoacidosis (R) is a complication of diabetes.
You should visit a doctor if you have one or more of these Diabetes Type 1 Symptoms. The symptoms develop usually in a few days or weeks due to high blood sugar.
Diabetes Type 1 Causes:
High blood sugar levels can cause damage to various parts of the body. If the high blood sugar is not managed or restricted properly, it increases the risk of following complications:
- High risk of heart attack.
- Eye problems lead to blindness in some cases.
- Diabetic nerve pain.
- Dry or Infections on the skin. The feet are the most vulnerable part of the body that could require amputation in serious cases.
- Kidney damage.
- High blood pressure.
- High levels of cholesterol.
The high blood sugar causes the kidneys to fail, eyes to turn blurry and complicated nerve disease. Thus you need to keep a constant check on your blood sugar levels as it might put you at risk of low blood sugar too.
The rapid growth of changing hormonal levels of adolescence can make it worse to maintain the blood sugar levels within your range.
Depression, anxiety disorders or panic disorders increases the risk of high blood sugar.
Even the eating disorders that we usually tend to ignore. Mostly during our teens when we have busy schedules or trying to keep slim (common in girls and women)skip our meals. This leads to the unused insulin in the body causing various complications.
It is always good to be aware of these facts and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle to avoid the risk of diabetes in later stages. Having said this, kids should be educated about the same too.
Diabetes Type 1 Prevention:
As such, there is no particular way to prevent Type 1 Diabetes. Studies and experiments are on-going to explore ways to prevent diabetes in those who have the tendency to get it.
But, the ones who have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes have multiple ways to prevent the complications by keeping their blood sugar in a range which is targeted to them by their doctors.
A regular medical check-up is a mandatory step to detect the Type 1 diabetes early. And also if there are any early signs of complications due to the same. If the complications are looked into early and treated at the very primary stages, the damage is almost stopped or slowed.
If you are down with flu or any disease, it is difficult to maintain the sugar levels in your body. Reach out to your family doctor for medications accordingly.
Like it is said, prevention is better than cure. Start living a healthy lifestyle and take good care of your body by staying fit and active.
