Mar 09
13
Difference between Type 1 & Type 2
What there is to know
For a long time Type 1 diabetes used to only be known as Juvenile diabetes because the person whom was diagnosed with the disease was quite young; I’d say at least a young teenager or younger. But as time went on and the medical field found out more about the disease and how others were acquiring the disease in a different way and form, the name was turned into Type 1 and Type 2 because there was now so called two kinds of diabetes. Yet, many Type 1 diabetics still get the disease not from being overweight, poor diet, and lifestyle but from a genetic mutation, hormone malfunctions and the endocrine system not functioning properly. It’s almost like how do we even call Type 2, diabetes, because it’s an acquired disease and not a genetic disease. The disease itself may have been dormant all the while but it was manifested faster and/or revealed itself because the person wasn’t taking care of themselves in a healthy manner.
Type 1
A person with Type 1 diabetes can’t make any insulin. Type 1 most often occurs before age 30, but may strike at any age. Type 1 can be caused by a genetic disorder but the origins of Type 1 are not fully understood and there are several theories. Yet, all of the possible causes still have the same end result: The pancreas produces very little or no insulin anymore and frequent insulin injections are needed for Type 1.
Type 2
A person with Type 2 diabetes has adequate insulin, but the cells have become resistant to it. Type 2 usually occurs in adults over 35 years old, but can affect anyone, including children. The National Institutes of Health state that 95 percent of all diabetes cases are Type 2. Why? It’s a lifestyle disease, triggered by obesity, a lack of exercise, increased age and to some degree, genetic predisposition.
Balance of glucose and insulin
Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in your blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high. There are two main types of full-blown diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don’t respond to it. In either case, the glucose can’t move into the cells and blood glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can cause serious complications.
One main difference
Type 1 and Type 2 have the same end result but how they are brought on are slightly different. Type 1 is most likely brought on genetically as it’s an autoimmune disease/hormone issue and the body isn’t producing insulin anymore from the pancreas. Therefore, there are no insulet or T-cells there to eat up the glucose that is put into the body. With Type 2, the information that was just provided eventually happens but at different time intervals, either faster or slower depending on how serious the case is of the state of health the person is in at the time. Type 2 diabetics usually become diabetics because they don’t take care of their body and they usually tend to be obese or somewhat overweight. They are sedentary most of the time, they hardly do any exercise (sometimes not even walking), the food they eat is not healthy (processed, fast food), they eat too much (portion size), and the everyday daily living that they do with their job, family, and people around them eventually catches up with them and makes a turn for the worse. That’s why it has to be at least a little frustrating for Type 1 diabetics because they see people who get or have Type 2 and don’t understand why they would let themselves get to such an unhealthy and dangerous position. Obese and overweight people are just asking for trouble, disease, and complications.
Cardiovascular issues and the heart
As many diabetics know, we are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease along with other issues. The heavier one is and the more weight one carries around, the harder the heart and body have to work. Over 65% of Americans are overweight or obese and obesity increases your risk of heart disease, strokes, and type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, excess weight contributes to insulin resistance which makes managing diabetes more difficult. Weight loss can help you control your blood glucose levels and can lower your risk of complications. By losing weight and being healthier, you can lower your health risks. No surprises there.
Kidney Disease and Diabetes
Kidneys are organs that filter wastes and toxins out of the blood and keep it balanced. Most people have two kidneys, but some people function well with only one. They are the size of a fist and occupy a space near the middle of the back below the rib cage. Blood is continually processed through the kidneys to filter out waste. They produce about 2 quarts of waste and water. That liquid is urine which is deposited into your bladder. When your bladder is full, you urinate, getting rid of it.
Kidneys are made up of millions of tiny filters called nephrons. The nephrons have even smaller vessels within them. These are destroyed over time, when glucose levels are consistently too high. This affects the kidneys ability to filter the blood. Waste that would ordinarily be excreted remains in the blood causing severe problems. Usually damage takes years to develop.
Complications of prolonged excess blood glucose can affect small blood vessels throughout the body, not only the kidneys, but also nerves and muscles, eyes and the heart. Neuropathy, retinopathy and cardiovascular disease are all complications that affect these organs. Good control of blood glucose levels help reduce or prevent these complications. Checking blood sugar several times a day is a good way to achieve this kind of control.
High Blood Pressure (BP) can be an indication that the kidney function is deteriorating. Paradoxically, high blood pressure can also hasten kidney damage. Blood pressure medications are usually prescribed to keep blood pressure at an acceptable level and also to slow the progression of damage. Usually a combination of medications are used to keep blood pressure normal. ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) are the most commonly prescribed drugs.
Creatinine is a waste product that is normally filtered from the blood and excreted with the urine. When kidneys start to fail, creatinine builds up in the blood. Doctors watch the creatinine levels carefully to determine how much function the kidneys have. A normal level is usually between 0.6 and 1.2 mg/dl. This does vary slightly. As the number increases above 1.2, it shows that kidney function is decreasing. Creatinine levels are obtained by a simple blood test.
BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is another marker of kidney function that doctors look at. When blood flows through the body, protein circulates to cells. Cells use the protein and throw away the waste that they don’t need. This waste is called urea. Normally urea is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys. Urea also contains nitrogen. If the kidneys aren’t working like they should, urea and nitrogen stay in the blood. A BUN of over 20 mg/dl is an indicator of decreased kidney function.
Kidney failure is the last stage of kidney disease. When kidneys can longer function, no toxins or waste products can be eliminated from the body. All those waste products continue to circulate in the blood, causing it to become extremely toxic. When someone’s kidneys have failed, it is known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). No one can live very long with ESRD without intervention. Either dialysis or a transplant is needed.
Diet and Nutrition
Nutrition is very important in managing diabetes. Not only what you eat, but how much you eat and when you eat can influence your blood sugar. Being overweight or obese can also make managing diabetes more difficult. Losing weight, even 5-7% of your total body weight, can greatly improve your glucose control, and your overall health.
Blood Sugar-Glucose Monitoring
Monitoring blood glucose levels is an extremely important part of diabetes management. Keeping track of your numbers tells you how much insulin or medication you need, and it also tells you if you are eating the right number of carbohydrates. But most importantly, blood glucose monitoring lets you know if your levels are too high or too low. It’s the best way to gauge how well your blood glucose is being controlled. The better the control, the less risk of complications.
Exercise
Exercise is an important way to manage diabetes. Not only can physical activity help you achieve beneficial weight loss, but it can lower your blood sugar and help your cells accept insulin more efficiently.
Managing Weight
When you have diabetes, excess weight can make your condition more difficult to control. Fat cells are more resistant to insulin than lean muscle cells, so having too much body fat makes it that much harder to use the insulin that your body makes. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to managing your diabetes.
Living with the diabetes disease
Having diabetes is like being in charge of a machine with so many arms, legs, and functions. There isn’t just one way of coping with the disease because it needs to be managed on a lot of different levels. At first, it may seem like an overwhelming amount of information is thrown at you but it’s possible to not only live with diabetes, but live well.