Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesPrevalenceSymptomsComplicationsPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Prevalence
Symptoms
Complications
Prevention
Type 1 and 2 diabetes are common conditions, but other types of diabetes are less known. Despite different causes, the results are the same: your body cannot produce enough or properly use insulin to keep blood sugar levels from getting too high or too low. Uncontrolled blood sugar can cause severe health problems. However, regardless of the type you have, a healthcare provider can create a treatment plan to help keep your diabetes under control.
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1. Prediabetes
Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are high but not high enough for a healthcare provider to diagnose you with type 2 diabetes. With prediabetes, the cells in your body do not respond well to insulin. It is a warning sign that you have an increased risk of developing diabetes, stroke, or heart disease.
Prediabetes is often asymptomatic and is usually detected through a fasting blood glucose test,hemoglobin AC1 test, or anoral glucose tolerance test.
Risk factors for developing prediabetes include excess weight, a low-activity lifestyle, having high blood pressure, and a family history of diabetes.
2. Type 1 Diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes need insulin therapy, either through injections or aninsulin pump, for the rest of their lives to help keep their blood sugar regulated. Careful monitoring of blood glucose, diet, and physical activity are also necessary to prevent complications from blood sugar levels that are too high or too low. Many factors can cause blood sugar to surge, such as the time of day, skipping meals, or hormonal changes.
Type 1 diabetes can happen at any age, but most people are diagnosed as children, teens, or young adults. The exact cause is unknown, but it is not related to lifestyle factors as with type 2 diabetes.
3. Type 2 Diabetes
Unlike type 1 diabetes, where the body produces little or no insulin,type 2 diabetescauses the body to becomeresistant to insulin, meaning the body can’t use insulin properly. Genetics can play a role in your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle factors like an inactive lifestyle and diet have a significant impact.
4. Gestational Diabetes
Pregnancy puts extra demands on the body. For some people, gestational diabetes develops when their bodies can’t produce enough insulin during this time. A key factor in diagnosis is that this condition occurs in someone who is pregnant but does not have diabetes.
It usually develops around the 24th week of pregnancy and resolves after childbirth. However, people with a history of gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
5. Steroid-Induced Diabetes
Healthcare providers prescribe glucocorticoids (steroids) for various health issues, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), autoimmune diseases (such aslupus), and other conditions where treatment reduces the body’s immune response.
6. Monogenic Diabetes
Gene changes may impact how the pancreas develops in utero, how well it makes usable insulin, or how it destroys pancreatic cells.
There are two primary forms of monogenic diabetes:
7. Secondary Diabetes: Type 3c
Type 3c can also interfere with hormones and enzyme production essential for digestion. Treatment includes managing blood sugar with insulin therapy and digestive problems with enzyme replacement.
8. Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA)
LADA,or “type 1.5 diabetes,” has characteristics of both type 1 and type 2 but is different in progression and onset. In type 1 and LADA, the body’s immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
However, LADA develops more gradually, and onset usually happens in adulthood. In addition, a person with LADA may not require insulin treatment at diagnosis, which is similar to type 2 diabetes. Over time, this may change as the pancreas loses its ability to make enough insulin.
9. Wolfram Syndrome
Wolfram syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems. The first symptom to appear isdiabetes mellitus,usually diagnosed around age six, and optic atrophy (progressive vision loss) around age 11.
Mutations in the WFS1 gene cause this condition; the WFS1 gene gives instructions to produce a protein called wolframin, which helps regulate the amount of calcium in cells. Without enough wolframin, the cells trigger their own cell death. When this happens in the pancreas, diabetes occurs.
Loss of cells on the optic nerve eventually results in vision loss. Treatment includes managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
10. Alström Syndrome
The ALMS1 gene provides instructions for making a protein, but its function is unknown. Researchers believe that the gene may impact how the pancreas regulates insulin.
How Common in Diabetes?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38.4 million Americans have some form of diabetes. In addition:
Symptoms of Unmanaged Diabetes
The body struggles to function properly when blood sugar levels are consistently uncontrolled.Symptomsof unmanaged diabetes can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening conditions and include the following:
Potential Complications
Unmanaged diabetes can lead to serious health complications. Persistently high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels and nerves, increasing the likelihood of developing the following conditions:
Can You Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is primarilypreventablethrough lifestyle changes that support overall health and stabilize blood sugar levels. These include:
Summary
Many people are familiar with types 1 and 2 diabetes, but there are lesser-known types. All involve the pancreas producing insufficient insulin to regulate blood sugar. Symptoms of unmanaged diabetes include frequent urination, weight loss, blurred vision, and slow wound healing. Untreated diabetes can lead to severe complications like cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and blindness. Prevent type 2 diabetes with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and reduced processed foods. Contact a healthcare provider right away if you notice symptoms.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control.Types of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control.10 Surprising things that can spike your blood sugar.Hwang JL, Weiss RE.Steroid-induced diabetes: a clinical and molecular approach to understanding and treatment.Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2014;30(2):96. doi:10.1002/dmrr.2486National Institutes of Health.Monogenic diabetes (MODY and neonatal diabetes mellitus).National Institutes of Health.Hemochromatosis.Hart PA, Bellin MD, Andersen DK, et al.Type 3c (Pancreatogenic) diabetes mellitus secondary to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2016;1(3):226. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(16)30106-6Buzzetti R, Tuomi T, Mauricio D, et al.Management of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: a consensus statement from an international expert panel.Diabetes. 2020;69(10):2037-2047. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0017MedlinePlus.Wolfram syndrome.MedlinePlus.Alstrom syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:National diabetes statistics report.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A report card: diabetes in the United States infographic.American Diabetes Association.Warning signs and symptoms.MedlinePlus.Long-term complications of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About “on your way to preventing type 2 diabetes”.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control.Types of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control.10 Surprising things that can spike your blood sugar.Hwang JL, Weiss RE.Steroid-induced diabetes: a clinical and molecular approach to understanding and treatment.Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2014;30(2):96. doi:10.1002/dmrr.2486National Institutes of Health.Monogenic diabetes (MODY and neonatal diabetes mellitus).National Institutes of Health.Hemochromatosis.Hart PA, Bellin MD, Andersen DK, et al.Type 3c (Pancreatogenic) diabetes mellitus secondary to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2016;1(3):226. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(16)30106-6Buzzetti R, Tuomi T, Mauricio D, et al.Management of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: a consensus statement from an international expert panel.Diabetes. 2020;69(10):2037-2047. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0017MedlinePlus.Wolfram syndrome.MedlinePlus.Alstrom syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:National diabetes statistics report.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A report card: diabetes in the United States infographic.American Diabetes Association.Warning signs and symptoms.MedlinePlus.Long-term complications of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About “on your way to preventing type 2 diabetes”.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control.Types of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control.10 Surprising things that can spike your blood sugar.Hwang JL, Weiss RE.Steroid-induced diabetes: a clinical and molecular approach to understanding and treatment.Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2014;30(2):96. doi:10.1002/dmrr.2486National Institutes of Health.Monogenic diabetes (MODY and neonatal diabetes mellitus).National Institutes of Health.Hemochromatosis.Hart PA, Bellin MD, Andersen DK, et al.Type 3c (Pancreatogenic) diabetes mellitus secondary to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2016;1(3):226. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(16)30106-6Buzzetti R, Tuomi T, Mauricio D, et al.Management of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: a consensus statement from an international expert panel.Diabetes. 2020;69(10):2037-2047. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0017MedlinePlus.Wolfram syndrome.MedlinePlus.Alstrom syndrome.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:National diabetes statistics report.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A report card: diabetes in the United States infographic.American Diabetes Association.Warning signs and symptoms.MedlinePlus.Long-term complications of diabetes.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About “on your way to preventing type 2 diabetes”.
Centers for Disease Control.Types of diabetes.
Centers for Disease Control.10 Surprising things that can spike your blood sugar.
Hwang JL, Weiss RE.Steroid-induced diabetes: a clinical and molecular approach to understanding and treatment.Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2014;30(2):96. doi:10.1002/dmrr.2486
National Institutes of Health.Monogenic diabetes (MODY and neonatal diabetes mellitus).
National Institutes of Health.Hemochromatosis.
Hart PA, Bellin MD, Andersen DK, et al.Type 3c (Pancreatogenic) diabetes mellitus secondary to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. 2016;1(3):226. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(16)30106-6
Buzzetti R, Tuomi T, Mauricio D, et al.Management of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults: a consensus statement from an international expert panel.Diabetes. 2020;69(10):2037-2047. doi:10.2337/dbi20-0017
MedlinePlus.Wolfram syndrome.
MedlinePlus.Alstrom syndrome.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:National diabetes statistics report.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.A report card: diabetes in the United States infographic.
American Diabetes Association.Warning signs and symptoms.
MedlinePlus.Long-term complications of diabetes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About “on your way to preventing type 2 diabetes”.
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