The Different Kinds of Diabetes Articles | Diabetes

Different kinds of diabetes exist. The condition affects millions of people the world over. Current statistics show that there are millions of people who have diabetes and a large number of this population is unaware of the fact that they suffer from the disease. If anybody you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it is only natural that you would want to learn as much as possible about the condition so that you can render some assistance in the treatment process. The first thing you will have to know is the kind of diabetes which the person is suffering from.

Four main kinds of diabetes exist and they are:

1. Type 1 Diabetes

2. Type 2 Diabetes

3. Gestational Diabetes

4. Pre-Diabetes

Just as they differ in nature, they also require different types of treatment, thus it is essential that you understand what exactly you are dealing with. When Type 1 Diabetes is involved, the problem is that the body fails to produce enough insulin. A lot of people who have diabetes are born with the Type 1 kind of diabetes and this is the sort of diabetes which affects children the most. Insulin allows glucose to enter into the body and fuel the cells which keep us alive and functioning properly. People, who have Type 1 Diabetes, fail to produce insulin and as a result will not be able to fuel the body properly. Statistics have shown that 5-10% of the people with diabetes have Type 1 Diabetes. Such people will need insulin shots in order to make up for what the body does not produce.

Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body fails to use insulin properly, this sort of diabetes is sometimes called insulin resistance and it can be combined with an insulin deficiency in the individual it affects. The bulk of people who have Type 2 diabetes tend to develop it at any time in their lives but it usually occurs in people who are middle aged and in much older people who are overweight and already have existing health problems.

The next type of diabetes, gestational diabetes, occurs in pregnant women. Statistics show that it can occur in 4% of pregnant women in the US- that’s around 135,000 people each year. Gestational diabetes only lasts for the duration of the pregnancy but having it can increase the mother’s chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

The last kind of diabetes is pre-diabetes and it is a condition which occurs when a persons glucose level is higher than normal but not necessarily high enough to result in full-blown diabetes. If left untreated, this condition eventually turns into Type 2 diabetes. Available statistics have shown that about 54 million Americans have pre-diabetes and a huge number of these people are unaware of their condition. In order to ensure that you are free from this condition, it is usually recommended that you take a test early and avoid the consequences of developing full-blown diabetes later in life.