Recognize the 3 Types of Diabetes That Can Attack You

Diabetes mellitus or commonly called diabetes is a chronic disease that arises due to problems with the hormone insulin. This disease is a cause of premature death and can cause problems in various organs of the body. What are the main types of diabetes you could experience? Check out the explanation below.
Main Types of Diabetes
Diabetes appears when there is a disturbance in the body’s metabolism, it is characterized by blood glucose levels that are above normal limits. The cause of this increase in blood sugar is the basis for grouping the types of diabetes mellitus.
Glucose is a form of sugar found in the blood and is a source of energy. The spread of glucose to other cells is influenced by the hormone insulin.
This hormone is responsible for carrying glucose to muscle cells to be converted into energy so that blood glucose levels can fall. When insulin work is disrupted or not optimal, problems can arise in the body.
Here are the three main types of diabetes that you need to know, including:
1. Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the body has high blood glucose levels due to the body’s inability to make insulin.
The main cause of type 1 diabetes is the body’s inability to produce insulin. This condition can occur as a result of autoimmune, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the pancreatic beta cells whose job is to produce insulin.
In general, this damage occurs permanently and It usually occurs quickly and can result in sudden weight loss. Usually, type 1 diabetes appears as a child, teenager, or young adult.
Until now, there is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes. If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need daily insulin injections to survive.
Also Read: High in Fiber and Protein, Here are 3 Benefits of Green Beans for Diabetics
2. Type 2 Diabetes
In people with type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin properly or produce enough insulin, so blood sugar cannot be within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have this type of diabetes mellitus.
This type of diabetes is commonly found in the elderly or adults. However, it is possible for someone to get type 2 diabetes mellitus at a young age, even as a teenager.
The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is not yet known. However, several factors such as genetics, unhealthy lifestyles, and obesity are some of the factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes.
People with type 2 diabetes will initially experience insulin resistance. This means that the body cannot use insulin effectively, and the pancreas will produce more insulin until it is unable to meet the body’s needs.
When this condition occurs, insulin production will decrease and cause an increase in blood sugar.
Type 2 diabetes may not show symptoms until serious problems arise. However, some people can feel a dark color in the folds of the skin, feel thirsty and hungry quickly, urinate frequently, and have numbness or tingling in the legs.
People with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood sugar stable by following a healthy diet and exercise. However, it is not uncommon for doctors to give various drugs at the start of the diagnosis to help lower blood sugar properly.
In certain cases, people with type 2 diabetes also need insulin injections to keep their blood sugar levels normal.
Also Read: The Link Between Diabetes and Body Cholesterol Levels
3. Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a condition of high blood glucose and begins to appear during pregnancy. In most cases, this type of diabetes will go away when the child is born.
However, people with gestational diabetes usually have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Sometimes, known diabetes is type 2 diabetes.
In general, gestational diabetes has no symptoms. Therefore, if you are pregnant, an initial oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is needed at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation. The cause of gestational diabetes is not known with certainty.
However, there is a theory that can explain this condition. During pregnancy, the placenta will provide nutrients and water for fetal development, as well as hormones to maintain pregnancy.
Some hormones, such as estrogen and cortisol, can inhibit insulin action. Finally, glucose will accumulate and gestational diabetes occurs.
When a woman has gestational diabetes, her doctor will suggest lifestyle changes, including dietary changes and the need for exercise. In addition, you are also advised to monitor blood glucose levels every day.
So, those are the three main types of diabetes that you need to be aware of. Don’t forget to always adopt a healthy lifestyle to avoid the dangers that lurk behind this chronic disease.
- Anonymous. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/gestational-diabetes. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
- Anonymous. 2016. What is Diabetes? https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
- Anonymous. 2022. Diabetic Symptoms. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/symptoms.html. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
- Anonymous. 2022. What is Diabetes? https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
- Pangribowo, Supriyono. 2020. Infodatin: Stay Productive, Prevent and Overcome Diabetes Mellitus. https://www.kemkes.go.id/downloads/resources/download/pusdatin/infodatin/Infodatin%202020%20Diabetes%20Melitus.pdf. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
- Pietrangelo, Ann. 2022. What Are the Different Types of Diabetes? https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/types-of-diabetes. (Accessed 3 February 2023).
DoctorHealthy | © 2023 PT Media Kesehatan Indonesia. Copyright Protected