Diabetes Types: The Three Types of Diabetes

Diabetes, for a long time, was assumed to be one disease. Diabetes is now known to take several forms. All diabetes types are fundamentally similar, but differ in many important ways. The two main forms of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2 (there are other less common types of diabetes). Both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are characterised by glucose not being able to enter cells. As a result, they share many symptoms. All types of Diabetes have the same symptoms associated with them - excess sugar in your blood and urine. Pre-Diabetes is where a higher than usual blood-sugar reading is present. Once known as 'Juvenile Diabetes', Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas loses its ability to create insulin. Type 2 Diabetes – aka NIDDM (Non-Insulin-Dependant Diabetes Mellitus) is the type of diabetes characterised by high blood-glucose caused by insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. Type 3 diabetes is differentiated as when the brain stops producing insulin or there is a reduced capacity for brain-cells to accept brain-secreted insulin. Gestational Diabetes –GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus) is when high glucose level develop in pregnancy. Diabetes Insipidus occurs when the function of the pituitary and its secretions are impaired, rather than the pancreas and insulin.

 Diabetes Types: The Three Types of Diabetes