 in a coma.
What are the Differences Between Type One vs Type Two Diabetes?
While the outcomes of having type one or type two diabetes might be similar, the conditions actually affect your body in different ways.
One of the key differences between diabetes one and two is the cause of them. Type one diabetes is often genetic and therefore it difficult to prevent. In comparison, type two diabetes often develops over a longer time period and has been linked to particular lifestyle choices.
As a result, the treatment options available are also a difference between diabetes. For all patients with diabetes, treatment involves managing the condition rather than curing it. However, treatment for type one diabetes can be very different from treatment for type two.
What Causes Type 1 Diabetes?
Type one diabetes is often genetic, which means it shows up a lot in children and adolescents. However, some people may only experience it later in life.
Type one diabetes happens when your immune system attacks the beta cells in your pancreas. This stops them from producing insulin completely so your body cannot regulate its blood sugar levels.
Because type one diabetes is genetic, there is no way to prevent yourself from developing it. Some people are more likely to experience it than others. Risk factors for type one diabetes include:
- a family history of type one diabetes
- certain other genetic features that can affect that way your body produces insulin
- cystic fibrosis
- exposure to certain viruses and infections, including mumps and rubella cytomegalovirus
- lack of vitamin D
Type one diabetes affects far fewer people than type two. Only around 5% of the diabetes population has type one.
What Cause Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes develops over time, which is why it often affects older people. It can also start to develop in children and is often a result of lifestyle choices.
If you have type two diabetes, your body still produces insulin. However, it is unable to use this effectively to control the glucose levels in your bloodstream. This is one of the key ways that it differs from type one diabetes.
Some things that increase your chances of developing type two diabetes include:
- having a family history of type two diabetes
- being overweight or obese
- not exercising regularly
- lack of vitamin D
Certain medication has also been linked to increased chances of developing type two diabetes. This includes some anti-seizure medication and HIV treatment medication.
Some women develop diabetes during pregnancy. This is because their bodies struggle to make enough insulin to regulate their blood sugar levels. This is also known as gestational diabetes and often occurs during the later stages of pregnancy.
You can find out more about handling diabetes during pregnancy here.
Before a person develops type two diabetes they will experience prediabetes. This usually takes five years to develop into type two diabetes. During this time you may be able to make lifestyle adjustments to stop diabetes in its tracks.
But in order to treat your diabetes, you first need a diagnosis. Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms of type one and two diabetes.
Symptoms of Type One and Two Diabetes
A lot of the symptoms of type one and two diabetes are very similar.
People with diabetes often experience an unexplained increase in thirst and appetite. They’ll also start urinating more.
In spite of higher blood sugar levels, you may start to notice that you’re feeling more tired than normal. Or you may find yourself exhausted after simple tasks that you had no difficulty with before.
Type one and two diabetes can also cause blurred vision and numbness or tingling in your hands and feet. You may also start to notice broken patches or skin that take longer to heal than normal.
Diabetes also causes weight loss that is unexpected or that you can’t explain. This is often sudden and dramatic. It can also be confusing if you’ve experienced an increased appetite.
However, one of the big differences in the symptoms of diabetes is who they affect and how long it takes