Taking a Closer Look at Type 1- Diabetes

677 Words2 Pages

Type 1-diabetes deprives cells of the sugar that is need for energy in the cells. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not produce insulin or not enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is involved in controlling how the body converts sugar into energy in our cells. Type 1-diabetes is not as common as type 2-diabetes. According to the University of Maryland type 1 diabetes accounts for 5 - 10% of all diabetes cases. Most cases of type 1-diabetes typically develop in childhood or adolescence and can happen in both boys and girls. However type 1-diabetes can occur at any age but is more prevalent in the younger population. (Diabetes - type 1, 2013) Type 1-diabetes is more common in whites than in other ethnic groups. According to the World Health Organization, type 1 diabetes is rare in most African, Native American, and Asian populations. The same cannot be said for type 2-diabetes that affects these ethnic groups. (World Health Organization Reasearch , 2013)
Type 1 diabetes is considered to be an autoimmune disorder that involves the pancreas and its insulin production. The cells that are involved in insulin production are called beta cells and they produce insulin in the pancreas. The Islets of Langerhans contain beta cells and are located within the pancreas. (Harvey Simon, 2012)Beta cells are particularly important because they make insulin which is needed to metabolize glucose within the body. In type 1 diabetes beta cells that are used to produce insulin are slowly destroyed by the body's own immune system, and this is called an autoimmune response.
Autoimmune response is when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue. With type 1-diabetes the body mistakenly attacks the beta cells in the pancre...

... middle of paper ...

...at a higher risk for osteoporosis and possibly fractures. (Diabetes - type 1, 2013)

Works Cited

Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2013, from World Health Organization Research website: http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/
Diabetes - type 1. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2013, from University of Maryland Medical Center website: http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/diabetes-type-1
Nazario, B., MD (Ed.). (2011, July 20). Type 1 diabetes. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from Medicine Net website: http://www.medicinenet.com
Simon, H., MD (Ed.). (2012, May 22). Type 1 diabetes. Retrieved November 8, 2013, from New York Times website: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/type-1-diabetes/causes.html
Type 1 Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2013, from Med Line Plus website: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000305.htm

Open Document