Type 1 diabetes is a condition when blood sugar or glucose levels rise above normal levels due to the body not producing enough insulin. This type of diabetes is usually detected in children and adolescents.
Glucose levels in the blood are controlled by the hormone insulin produced by the pancreas . When food that enters the body is digested and enters the bloodstream, insulin makes sugar (glucose) in the blood enter the cells to be converted into energy.
In diabetics , where the amount or performance of the insulin hormone is lacking, the body cannot process glucose into energy.
Type 1 diabetes is less common than type 2 diabetes. It is known that there are only 9.5% of type 1 diabetes sufferers of all diabetes cases worldwide.
Causes and Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body produces little or no insulin at all. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes need additional insulin from outside. This condition is different from type 2 diabetes which occurs as a result of insulin resistance, which is when the body's cells become immune or unresponsive to insulin.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually appear in children or adolescents, but can also be experienced in adulthood. Patients with this condition generally feel frequent urination , often feel thirsty, and get tired easily.
Treatment and Prevention of Type 1 Diabetes
Treatment for people with type 1 diabetes aims to maintain blood sugar levels in normal conditions and prevent complications. The method of treatment can be a change in lifestyle to the use of drugs.
Although there is no sure way to prevent type 1 diabetes, the development of this condition can be avoided by living a healthy lifestyle, such as exercising regularly and maintaining an ideal body weight.