There are several types of diabetes, type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Although both types of diabetes both have symptoms of blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but the causes of each of these conditions are different.
Get to know type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes
It's not easy to tell which people have type 1 diabetes and which suffer from type 2. For example, there is a general opinion that someone with type 2 diabetes is usually overweight and does not need insulin injection. While type 1 diabetics will be underweight and must continue to undergo treatment with insulin injections.
However, this perception is not always true. Keep in mind, that about 20% of type 2 diabetics have a healthy weight when diagnosed, and many of them are dependent on additional insulin.
The same thing happened with type 1 diabetics, in some cases they were also overweight. Because both types of diabetes can vary and are not easily predictable, it is often difficult to know which type of diabetes a person has.
People should not assume that someone who is overweight with high sugar levels has type 2 diabetes, because the cause of their condition may be caused by type 1.
In some cases, when in doubt about the type of diabetes you have, it's a good idea to test and consult a doctor to find out what type of diabetes you are suffering from. In this way they can recommend the right treatment for your diabetes.
A common difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
Although there is a lot of uncertainty that is often associated with a diagnosis of diabetes, there are some common features of each type of diabetes that can be your reference in distinguishing diabetes. Please note that this difference is based on generalization. For example, the perception of type 1 diabetes is not always true because many cases of type 1 diabetes begin to be diagnosed after adulthood.
The following table can be seen as a general guide between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
- Often diagnosed in childhood
- Not related to excess weight
- Often associated with higher than normal ketone levels when diagnosed
- Treatment with insulin injection or insulin pump
- Cannot be controlled without insulin
Type 2 diabetes
- Usually diagnosed at more than 30 years of age
- Often associated with excess weight
- Often associated with high blood pressure or cholesterol at diagnosis Initially it can be treated without medication or with tablets
- Sometimes it may be treated only with diabetes medication
How can type 1 diabetes appear?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's immune system mistakenly attacks parts of the body. In the case of type 1 diabetes, the immune system incorrectly targets the production of beta-cell insulin in the pancreas.
No one knows why this happened, or how to stop it. The immune system of a person with type 1 diabetes continues to attack beta cells until the pancreas is unable to produce insulin.
A person with type 1 diabetes needs to inject himself with insulin to compensate for the death of beta cells. Everyone with type 1 diabetes depends on insulin.
How can type 2 diabetes appear?
Unlike type 2 diabetes, the autoimmune system in type 2 diabetics does not attack beta cells. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by loss of the body's ability to respond to insulin. This is known as insulin resistance.
The body replaces the ineffectiveness of insulin by producing more, but it cannot always produce enough. Over time, tension in beta cells by the level of insulin production can destroy them, reducing insulin production.
Type 2 diabetes and insulin injection
Someone with type 2 diabetes may need insulin injections, usually for one or two main reasons:
Low sensitivity to insulin: the more weight you have, the less your sensitivity to insulin. Not sensitive to insulin means that insulin does not reduce blood glucose levels as much as they should. A person with low insulin sensitivity often requires insulin injection to avoid hyperglycemia.
Beta cell failure: if you have insulin resistance, you need to better maintain blood glucose levels to be balanced. The more insulin production means the more work for the pancreas. Over time, beta cells can burn by constant tension, and stop producing insulin simultaneously. You can get the same situation as someone who has type 1 diabetes, where the body cannot produce the amount of insulin you need to control blood sugar levels. Insulin injection is needed in this situation.