The three main types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. There is also a condition known as “pre-diabetes”. Those who suffer from pre-diabetes have higher than normal glucose levels; however, their levels are not yet high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Those with this condition have a very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Pre-diabetes is rarely treated with insulin and can usually be controlled, if not reversed, with diet and exercise.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person looses a drastic number of insulin producing cells in his or her pancreas. Type 1 diabetes is rarely caused by obesity and often occurs in children and young adults who do not have any serious health problems. Because this is the most common type of diabetes that affects children, it is often referred to as “juvenile diabetes”. Those with type 1 diabetes must monitor their blood sugar levels and regularly receive insulin therapy. They must also exercise regularly and keep their weight at a healthy level.
Very severe forms of type 1 diabetes are often referred to as “brittle diabetes”. Brittle diabetes is diagnosed when a person suffers from dramatic, unexplainable, and recurring swings in his or her glucose levels. This condition most often affects teenagers and young adults. At times, the term brittle diabetes is used to describe extremely severe cases of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when a person’s body builds an insulin resistance and when his or her pancreas cannot secrete insulin. The condition is often tied to excessive weight gain and can sometimes be controlled without insulin therapy. The common treatments for this condition are weight loss, non-insulin drugs, and, if necessary, insulin therapy. Type 2 diabetes is hereditary and, although it is most commonly diagnosed in people over the age of 45, it can affect children and adults of all ages. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in existence.
Gestational Diabetes
There is a type of diabetes called gestational diabetes the only affects pregnant mothers. This condition occurs when a woman, who does not have a history of blood sugar problems, begins experiencing high blood sugar levels whilst being pregnant. Although the levels are rarely high enough to pose an immediate risk for the mother, if gestational diabetes is left untreated, it may harm the unborn baby. Gestational diabetes can cause birth defects such as muscle malformations, cardiac and nervous system damage, and macrosomia.
Pregnant mothers with this type of diabetes need to constantly monitor their blood sugar levels throughout the pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is usually controlled with diet and exercise. There is, however, a small percentage of women who require insulin therapy. The woman’s blood sugar levels should return to normal after the baby is delivered. Unfortunately, gestational diabetes is usually a sign that both the mother and the child will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.