HealthcareUnderstanding The Difference Between Type 1 And Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease that affects how the body turns sugars in foods into energy. The muscle, fat, and liver cells in the body need insulin to convert sugars into energy. Diabetes occurs when your pancreas can’t make adequate insulin or does not use the available insulin to control blood sugar levels properly. This results in excess sugar in the blood, leading to serious problems like heart and kidney disease, peripheral nerve damage, and vision or skin problems. In addition, there are several other diabetes-related conditions that people develop over time.

Differences Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have a lot of things in common. For instance, they both imply excess glucose in the blood. Additionally, the two forms of diabetes have similar symptoms, like excessive thirst, increased urination and hunger, weight loss, and wounds that are slow to heal. This causes a lot of people to assume that they are the same disease. However, there are distinct differences in their causes, management, and treatment. Below are some of the core differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes:

* Causes

One of the primary differences between the two is the cause. Type 1 diabetes is caused by the immune system attacking and destroying the pancreatic cells responsible for producing insulin. On the other hand, Type 2 diabetes occurs when your muscle, fat, and liver cells are resistant to the actions of insulin. It may also occur when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin.

* Impacts

You can also differentiate the conditions by their impacts. For instance, the impact of Type 1 diabetes is that the body does not make insulin. On the other hand, the effect of Type 2 diabetes is that the body becomes resistant to the actions of insulin.

* Diagnosis

Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age. However, it is most commonly diagnosed in young adults and children. On the other hand, while Type 2 diabetes can also be diagnosed at any age, this typically happens in middle-aged adults and the elderly.

* Prevention

Another way to differentiate the two types of diabetes is by looking at their prevention. Unfortunately, there are no known preventions for Type 1 diabetes at the moment. On the other hand, you can prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes by changing your lifestyle. You can do this by managing your weight, adopting a nutritious diet, and increasing exercise.

* Management

The easiest way to manage the condition, whether type 1 or 2, is through diabetes treatment. But, other than diabetes treatment, you can also manage the conditions differently, depending on the type. Below are tips for managing type 1 diabetes;

• Daily insulin
• Adopting a nutritious diet
• Regular physical activity
• Maintaining a healthy weight

On the other hand, below are management tips for Type 2 diabetes;

• Taking insulin and other necessary medication
• Decreasing excess body fat
• Exercising
• Changing your lifestyle, especially what you eat

The main difference in managing the condition is that people with Type 1 diabetes require daily insulin treatment to control their blood sugar levels. This can be delivered under the skin through a single or several shots per day. However, this is not usually the case with type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes can control blood sugar levels for people with Type 2 diabetes. They can also take oral or noninsulin medications to help the body release enough or use its natural insulin.

Regardless of the type of diabetes you suffer from, you should eat well and manage your blood sugar levels. You can do this by maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough exercise. Controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol levels can also help. Additionally, do not neglect regular visits to the doctor to monitor your progress and check for other diabetes-related problems like cataracts.

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