Diabetes

Main types of diabetes

There are different types of diabetes all types are complex and serious.

How does diabetes affect the body?

When someone has diabetes, their body can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a form of sugar which is the main source of energy for our bodies. Unhealthy levels of glucose in the blood can lead to long term and short term health complications.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a life-long autoimmune condition that is usually diagnosed in childhood or early adulthood but can occur at any age.

In type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing insulin. As the body needs insulin to survive, people with type 1 diabetes must replace this insulin every day through injections or an insulin pump.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, affecting approximately 85 to 90 per cent of all people with diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, the body still produces some insulin, but it may not be enough or work well enough to keep BGLs within a healthy range.

Type 2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes such as losing weight (if overweight), healthy eating and engaging in regular physical activity but often medications such as tablets or insulin may also be required.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs in pregnancy. Between five and 10 per cent of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes. All women are checked for gestational diabetes between weeks 24 to 28 of pregnancy.

Women with gestational diabetes can still have a healthy baby but it is important that gestational diabetes is managed to reduce your risk of developing complications during your pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes will not lead to your baby being born with diabetes, however, can increase the risk of your baby developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

For mothers, the good news is gestational diabetes usually goes away once the baby is born, however, there is also an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. It is recommended that women with gestational diabetes undergo an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) six to eight weeks after delivery, to find out whether BGLs are back within a healthy range. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes is when your BGL is higher than normal but not high enough for you to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This means your body’s insulin is not working effectively.

Making lifestyle changes can help slow down the progression of pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms of Diabetes

The general symptoms of diabetes include:

• Increased hunger

• Increased thirst

• Weight loss

• Frequent urination

• Blurry vision

• Extreme fatigue

• Sores that don’t heal

Symptoms in men

In addition to the general symptoms of diabetes, men with diabetes may have a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor muscle strength.

Symptoms in women

Women with diabetes can also have symptoms such as urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and dry, itchy skin.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include:

• Extreme hunger

• Increased thirst

• Unintentional weight loss

• Frequent urination

• Blurry vision

• Tiredness

It may also result in mood changes.

Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:

• Increased hunger

• Increased thirst

• Increased urination

• Blurry vision

• Tiredness

• Sores that are slow to heal

It may also cause recurring infections. This is because elevated glucose levels make it harder for the body to heal.

Gestational Diabetes

Most women with gestational diabetes don’t have any symptoms. The condition is often detected during a routine blood sugar test or oral glucose tolerance test that is usually performed between the 24th and 28th weeks of gestation.

In rare cases, a woman with gestational diabetes will also experience increased thirst or urination.