Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition that causes high blood sugar levels. Insulin is responsible for transporting the sugar present in the blood into the cells, which is then utilized for energy. In diabetes, either enough insulin is not produced, or it isn’t effectively used. If diabetes is left untreated for an extended period, it can cause permanent damage to organs like the eyes, kidneys, etc.

Types of Diabetes

Diabetes exists in several different forms, such as below:

• Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Your immune system malfunctions and destroys cells in the pancreas, the organ that makes insulin. It’s still unclear what causes the immune system to malfunction. Around 10 percent of people with diabetes are found to have this type.

• Type 2 diabetes

In this type of diabetes, your body stops responding to insulin. As a result, sugar accumulates in the blood, and you experience type 2 diabetes.

• Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar level is higher than average, but not high enough for type 2 diabetes is prediabetes.

• Gestational diabetes

It is the condition in which pregnant women experience high blood sugar. Gestational diabetes is caused because the placenta produces hormones that block insulin.

• Diabetes insipidus

Diabetes insipidus is an uncommon condition that is not related to diabetes mellitus, even though it has a similar name. In this condition, too much fluid is removed from your body by kidneys.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Symptoms of each type of diabetes differ from each other. The symptoms of diabetes symptoms are caused due to increased blood sugar. Men with diabetes are most likely to experience a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction (ED), and poor muscle strength. Women with diabetes can have symptoms like yeast infections, urinary tract infections, dry skin, or itchy skin.

Common Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes

The Symptoms of type 1 diabetes may particularly include:

• extremely increased hunger
• frequent need to urinate
• increased thirst
• unintentional and uncontrolled weight loss
• blurred vision
• tiredness or fatigue
• mood swings

Common Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes

The Symptoms of type 1 diabetes may notably include:

• extremely increased hunger
• frequent need to urinate
• increased thirst
• unintentional and uncontrolled weight loss
• blurred vision
• sores that heal very slowly or do not heal at all
• tiredness

Type 2 diabetes is known to also cause reoccurring infections due to increased blood glucose levels as it makes the body’s healing process slow.

Symptoms of Gestational diabetes

Most women don’t experience any symptoms of gestational diabetes. It is usually diagnosed during a routine blood sugar test or oral glucose tolerance test typically performed during the 24th to 28th weeks of gestation. However, in very rare cases, women with gestational diabetes might experience increased thirst and ultimately a frequent need to urinate.

Causes of Diabetes

Each type of diabetes is believed to be caused due to different factors. Please continue to read know what causes diabetes.

Causes of Type 1 Diabetes

Doctors do not still know what exactly causes type 1 diabetes. In some cases, your immune system attacks and destroys your insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. In many people, genes play a role in experiencing type 1 diabetes. Moreover, even a virus may set off the immune system attack.

Causes of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is believed to be caused due to a combination of genetics and lifestyle. If you are overweight or obese, your risk of acquiring it increases as extra weight, especially in the belly area, causes the blood sugar levels to be more resistant to the effects of insulin.

It kind of runs in families to be more likely to get type 2 diabetes and be overweight.

Causes of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is caused because of the hormones produced by the placenta during pregnancy. These hormones cause the blood cells to be less sensitive to the effects of insulin. As a result, the sugar levels of a pregnant woman might arise. Women who are overweight during their pregnancy are more likely to experience it.

Conclusion

The symptoms of diabetes are so mild in some cases that they can be hard to notice. The genes and environmental factors, together, play a role in triggering diabetes. Hopefully, this article helped you learn a few characteristics of diabetes that are important for you to know.