What are the various types of diabetes?

Occasionally, our bodies get confused and our immune systems attack our own organs. This is what happens in type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body makes proteins that attack one's own pancreas. Without a functioning pancreas, a person cannot live unless given an alternative supply of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is a different condition. Here, the problem lies largely with the insulin receptors. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas often starts out just fine. It can produce as much insulin as it wants, but the insulin receptors become less sensitive. So glucose has a harder time getting into the cells. When the cells indicate a sugar requirement, The pancreas pumps out more insulin and floods the receptors so that sugar (glucose) can eventually enter the cells. This works for a little while. The cells get the required sugar, and the pancreas seems to do fine, at least in the short run, by producing larger amounts of insulin. However, the high insulin levels actually harm you in the long run.

Diabetes is divided into two major categories: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is associated with complete destruction of the beta cells of the pancreas that manufacture the hormone insulin. Individuals with type 1 diabetes will require lifelong insulin to control blood sugar levels. About 5 to 10 percent of all diabetics are type 1.

In type 2 diabetes insulin levels are typically elevated, indicating a loss of sensitivity to insulin by the cells of the body. Approximately 90 percent of individuals categorized as having type 2 diabetes are obese. Obesity greatly reduces the sensitivity of cells to the hormone insulin.

Prediabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal (>101 mg/dL), but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (>126 mg/dL). There are almost as many people in the United States with prediabetes (about 16 million) as there are with type 2 diabetes (18 million).