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What Causes Diabetes Although why diabetes occurs in the first place is still unclear, to a good extent we now know what happens to the body to cause diabetes. There are different kinds of diabetes, and naturally there are many different causes for each. In this article we are going to go through each kind of diabetes methodically, listing the causes for each. Type 1 Diabetes Formerly known as Juvenile Diabetes, due to its tendency to develop during childhood to early adulthood, Type 1 Diabetes is the most serious. It also used to be known as ‘insulin dependant' diabetes because its sufferers are dependant on insulin injections. What causes diabetes Type 1 is usually a complete breakdown of pancreatic activity, where the pancreas is no longer capable of producing insulin on its own. The most common cause for this breakdown is usually a condition called ‘auto immunity'. Auto immunity is where the immune system turns against itself and begins attacking a healthy body much in the same way as it would a virus or foreign entity. Although the reasons for this phenomena are unknown, in Type 1 Diabetics, their pancreas has usually been attacked by their own immune systems rendering the pancreas almost, or completely defective. Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes was formerly known as Adult Diabetes, as it usually afflicted adults of middle age. Although many people are born with genetic tendencies to develop diabetes, the main reason for people developing Type 2 Diabetes is poor health, such as chronic obesity and poor diet and lack of exercise. Type 2 Diabetes can be brought on due to a relatively low level of insulin production, similar to Type 1, but is mostly brought on by a condition known as insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is where the body has become resistant to the admittance of insulin and as insulin is needed to usher glucose into the various parts of the body, if insulin isn't admitted, nor is glucose. Gradually over time glucose levels build and build, eventually causing Type 2 Diabetes. Insulin resistance is thought to be caused by factors stemming from having continually high blood sugar for an extended period of time, and lack of exercise where glucose simply isn't burned off as energy, resulting in the body become defective and insulin resistant. Gestational Diabetes Gestational Diabetes is a temporary diabetes which develops sometime during pregnancy and usually subsides shortly afterwards. During pregnancy many strange hormonal changes take place and it is thought somehow hormones can induce Gestational Diabetes. Gestational Diabetes may also be more common in those with a genetic predisposition towards developing diabetes in the first place. Other factors can also explain the link between pregnancy and the development of diabetes such as the past diet and weight of the pregnant woman. For instance, two women who are by genetic default of equal risk of developing diabetes may, due to the way they have lived their lives, have a much higher or much lower chance of developing Gestational Diabetes than the other. The woman which has always led an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise, and has always eaten a healthy balanced diet may have a much lower chance of developing Gestational Diabetes during the rigours of pregnancy than somebody whom has lived an unhealthier lifestyle. Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes, as you can see, come down largely to risk factors, and these factors are very much within the control of the individuals themselves. This isn't to say the risk of diabetes is eliminated altogether, but as you will see by looking at other articles on this site, living healthily can greatly decrease the chance of developing diabetes in the first place, and at the very least, control diabetes greatly. |