Type 1 diabetes is a condition where your pancreas does not release insulin or it only releases minimal amounts. Insulin is released to help regulate blood sugar levels that become elevated when you eat carbohydrates. People who have type 1 diabetes have to rely on insulin injections. The long term effects of this type of diabetes can be severe if you do not keep your blood sugar levels regulated.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a condition that is characterized by nerve damage. When you have type 1 diabetes, over the course of time, capillaries can become injured and as a result cause damage to your nerves. This can lead to numbness and tingling sensations in your feet and hands. In the worst of cases, you can lose feeling altogether. If the nerves in your digestive tract get affected, you can experience nausea, constipation, diarrhea and vomiting. Men can suffer erectile dysfunction if the nerves to the penile area get damaged.
Cardiovascular Disease
Type 1 diabetes not only affects your nerves, but it can also affect your heart and blood vessels. According to the Mayo Clinic, your risk for chest pain, heart attack, stroke, atherosclerosis and high blood pressure all go up when you have type 1 diabetes.
Blindness
The retina is the part of the eye responsible for making out images. A long-tern affect of type 1 diabetes is damage to the blood vessels in the retina. This is called "diabetic retinopathy." The end result of this is blindness. Other vision problems can also appear, like glaucoma and cataracts.
Sores
The feet can suffer nerve damage and numbness, and they are prone to developing ulcers, cuts, scrapes and sores. As a result, infections can appear and in the worst of cases, amputation might have to be performed.
Nephropathy
The kidneys filter waste products from the blood. With type 1 diabetes, the small blood vessels that promote this process can become damaged, and kidney disease and failure can develop.
Pregnancy Problems
When women that are pregnant have type 1 diabetes, the risks for a miscarriage, birth defects or a stillbirth are all increased. The expectant mother can experience eye problems, pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
Bone Problems
Osteoporosis is a condition where your bone mineral density becomes low and your bones become weak and fragile. A long-term effect of type 1 diabetes is an increased risk of osteoporosis caused from a below normal bone mineral density.
