Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder in which the body is unable to convert blood sugar, or glucose, into energy. Insulin, a hormone created by the pancreas, must be present to use glucose. A diabetic either does not produce enough insulin, or is insulin resistant and unable to use insulin produced by the body. Sugar levels continue to build in the bloodstream, causing hyperglycemia. Different types of diabetes mellitus are related to different causes. Currently over 20 million Americans live with diabetes; nearly 5.6 million of them remain undiagnosed.
Type 1
Type 1 diabetes is most commonly diagnosed in young children and adults. Also known as juvenile or insulin dependent diabetes, this is a condition in which the pancreas does not produce insulin. The Merck Manual explains that nearly 90 percent of insulin producing cells are destroyed in type 1 diabetes. Although no specific cause has been determined, the Merck Manual reports possible environmental factors such as infection or nutritional deficiencies may cause type 1 diabetes. Genetics may also be associated with the condition. The American Diabetes Association states 5 to 10 percent of diabetics suffer from type 1 diabetes; a diagnosis is commonly made by the time someone reaches age 30.
Type 2
The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that 90 percent of all diabetics are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus, or non-insulin dependent diabetes. Once a rare disorder, type 2 diabetes is becoming more common among Americans and western cultures. Certain ethnic backgrounds are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, including African, Native, Latin and Asian Americans. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to control blood sugar levels or the body is not able to use insulin efficiently. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports type 2 diabetes is more widespread due to rising levels of obesity, sedentary life styles and increasing populations of older Americans. Nearly 90 percent of Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Certain diseases, such as Cushing's, also alter the way the body uses insulin and may cause type 2 diabetes.
Gestational
A diagnosis of diabetes during pregnancy is gestational diabetes. A pregnant woman is unable to produce enough insulin for herself and her baby, reports the Merck Manual. Increased insulin is required because of the amplified levels of blood sugar in the body. A woman will most likely not suffer from the condition after the child is born. She is, however, at increased risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes later in life, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Approximately 4 percent of all pregnant women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
