- 1. Type 1 diabetes
- 2. Type 2 diabetes
- Differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- 3. Gestational diabetes
- 4. Other types
The main types of diabetes mellitus are type 1 and type 2, which have some differences, such as in relation to their cause, and may be autoimmune, as in the case of type 1, or associated with genetics and life habits, such as happens in type 2.
These types of diabetes can also vary according to the treatment, which can be done with the use of medications in tablets or with the application of insulin.
However, there are still other variants of these types of diabetes, which are gestational diabetes, which appears in pregnant women due to the influence of hormonal changes during this period, Adult Autoimmune Latent Diabetes, or LADA, and the Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young , or MODY, which mix characteristics of diabetes tpo 1 and 2.
So, to better understand the difference between types of diabetes, it is important to know how each disease develops:
1. Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, in which the body wrongly attacks the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin, destroying them. Thus, the lack of insulin production causes an accumulation of glucose in the blood, which can cause harm to various organs, such as renal failure, retinopathy or diabetic ketoacidosis.
Initially, this disease may not cause symptoms, however, in some cases it may appear:
- Frequent desire to urinate; Excessive thirst and hunger; Weight loss without apparent cause.
This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, as this is when this change in immunity occurs.
Typically, treatment for type 1 diabetes is done with daily insulin injections, in addition to a low-sugar, low-carb diet. Find out what your diet should be and what you should and should not eat if you have diabetes.
It is also important that patients maintain regular physical exercise, under the guidance of an educator, to help control sugar levels and maintain a regulated metabolism.
2. Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, being caused by genetic factors together with bad lifestyle habits, such as excessive consumption of sugar, fat, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, which cause defects in the production and action of insulin in the body..
Generally, this type of diabetes is detected in people over 40, as it develops over time and, in the early stages, does not cause symptoms, causing damage to the body in a silent way. However, in severe and untreated cases, it can cause the following symptoms:
- Constant feeling of thirst; Excessive hunger; Frequent urge to urinate; Weight loss without apparent cause; Difficulty in wound healing; Blurred vision.
Before the onset of diabetes, the person usually had a period of high blood glucose for several months or years, which is called pre-diabetes. At this stage, it is still possible to prevent the development of the disease, through physical activities and diet control. Understand how to identify and treat prediabetes to prevent the disease from developing.
The treatment of type 2 diabetes is done with drugs to control blood glucose, such as metformin, glibenclamide or gliclazide, for example, prescribed by the general practitioner or endocrinologist. But, depending on the patient's health status or the worsening of blood sugar levels, daily use of insulin may be necessary.
In addition to the pharmacological treatment, a controlled diet of sugar and other carbohydrates and also fats must be maintained, in addition to regular physical exercise. These measures are essential for the correct control of the disease and for aging with a better quality of life. Learn more about the treatment and consequences of type 2 diabetes.
Differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes
The table summarizes the main differences between these two types of diabetes:
| Type 1 Diabetes | Type 2 diabetes | |
| Cause | Autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks cells in the pancreas, which stop producing insulin. | Genetic predisposition in people who have risk factors, such as overweight, physical inactivity, diet with excess carbohydrates, fats and salt. |
| Age | Common in children and adolescents, usually from 10 to 14 years old. | Most of the time, in people over 40 who have had a previous period of pre-diabetes. |
| Symptoms |
The most common are dry mouth, excessive urination, hunger and weight loss. |
The most common are weight loss, excessive urination, tiredness, weakness, altered healing and blurred vision. |
| Treatment | Use of insulin divided into several doses or in an insulin pump, daily. | Daily use of antidiabetic pills. Insulin may be needed in more advanced cases. |
The diagnosis of diabetes must be made with blood tests that identify excess glucose in the circulation, such as fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, glucose tolerance test and capillary glucose test. See how these tests are done and the values that confirm diabetes.
3. Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes arises during pregnancy and can be diagnosed on glucose test exams after 22 weeks of gestation, and is also caused by dysfunction in the production and action of insulin in the body.
It usually happens in women who already have a genetic predisposition or who have unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as eating with excess fats and sugars.
The symptoms of gestational diabetes are similar to those of type 2 diabetes and their treatment is done with adequate food and exercises to control diabetes, as it tends to disappear after the baby is born. However, in most cases, it is necessary to use insulin for adequate blood glucose control.
Learn more about the symptoms of gestational diabetes, its risks and how to treat it.
4. Other types
There are also other ways of developing diabetes, which are rarer and can be triggered for different reasons. Some of them are:
- Adult Autoimmune Latent Diabetes, or LADA, is an autoimmune form of diabetes, but it happens in adults. This type is generally suspected in adults with type 2 diabetes who have very rapid impairment of pancreatic function and who need to use insulin early; Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, or MODY, is a type of diabetes that occurs in young people, but it is milder than type 1 diabetes and more like type 2 diabetes. Thus, it is not necessary to use insulin right from the start. This type of diabetes is becoming more and more common, due to the increasing number of children with obesity; Genetic defects that can cause changes in the production or action of insulin; Pancreatic diseases, such as tumor, infection or fibrosis; Endocrine diseases, such as Cushing's syndrome, pheochromocytoma and acromegaly, for example; Diabetes triggered by the use of medications, such as corticosteroids.
There is also a disease called diabetes insipidus that, despite having a similar name, is not diabetes, being a disease related to changes in hormones that produce urine. If you want to know more about this disease, see how to identify and treat diabetes insipidus.
