Type 5 diabetes has just been recognized by the International Federation of Diabetes as a distinct form of the disease. But there are more than a dozen different types. The classification is not as clear as the numbering suggests.
There is a new type of recognized by the International Diabetes Federation: Type 5 diabetes. But what is it? What is the difference to other types of the disease? Did you know that there are types of diabetes you might have ever heard of?
Type 1
A is caused by the body’s immune system, which attacks insulin -producing cells in the pancreas. This autoimmune reaction can occur at any age, from childhood to old age.
It is not related to diet or lifestyle. In fact, it probably results from a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors such as viral infections.
Treatment involves lifelong insulin therapy, administered through injections or pumps.
A small number of people fighting low blood sugar levels, called hypoglycemiacan receive new cells in the pancreas that produce insulin of deceased donors. For many, this reduces the number of necessary insulin injections. Some may stop taking insulin definitively.
In addition, dozens of people have already received transplants derived from stem cells to effectively “cure” diabetes, although they still have to take strong immunosuppressive medications. Nonetheless, this treatment is not yet widely available.
Type 2
A is the most common form of the disease and is often associated with a high IMC (body mass index). However, it can also affect people with normal weight, especially those with strong genetic predisposition.
Certain ethnic groups, including southern Asians and people of African and Caribbean descent, have a higher risk even with lower body weights.
Increasing insulin production by the body can help control blood sugar levels. Some medications increase insulin production by pancreas, while others improve insulin sensitivity.
Metformin, for example, is taken by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Improves insulin sensitivity and disables sugar production by the liver.
There are dozens of different medications to help control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes. Adapting treatment to each individual has shown significantly improving health results.
Lifestyle changes can also reverse diabetes. This can be done by keeping a low calorie diet with 800 calories a day. One from 2018 concluded that maintaining this diet for 12 months reversed diabetes in 46% of people.
Gestational diabetes
This type of diabetes develops during pregnancy, usually between the 24th and 28th week. It is triggered by hormonal changes that reduce the sensitivity of the body to insulin.
Risk factors include overweight or obesity, a family history of diabetes and give birth to a large baby in an earlier pregnancy.
People of origin from the Middle East, southern Asia, Blacks and Afro-Aribenhos also have a higher risk of gestational diabetes. Age is also a factor, as insulin sensitivity decreases with age. It can be treated with diet and exercise, compresses or insulin injections.
Rarer forms of diabetes
They exist less novel hair subtypes of diabeteswhich include rare genetic forms sometimes caused by a single genetic alteration. Others may be caused by treatments such as surgery or medicines such as steroids.
A diabetes neonatal appears at the beginning of life. Some of the genetic changes affect the way insulin is released by the pancreas. Some people still produce their own insulin, so they can be treated with tablets that help pancreas cells to release insulin.
A type 2 diabetes in young people It occurs later in life and is associated with genetic changes. There are several genetic changes, some of which affect the way pancreas cells detect sugar and others that affect pancreas development.
A 3C type diabetes It’s different. It is caused by damage to the pancreas. People with pancreas cancer, for example, may develop diabetes after removal of parts of the pancreas. It may also develop after pancreatitis (pancreas inflammation).
People with cystic fibrosis also have a higher risk of developing diabetes. This is called diabetes related to cystic fibrosis. The risk increases with age and is very common, with about one third of people with cystic fibrosis developing diabetes at age 40.
And finally: type 5
This recently designated form is associated with malnutrition during childhood. Type 5 diabetes is more common in poorer countries. It affects about 20 to 25 million people around the world.
People have low body weight and lack of insulin. However, lack of insulin is not caused by the immune system. Instead, the body may not have received correct nutrition during childhood to help the pancreas develop normally.
Roading studies have shown that a poor protein diet during pregnancy or adolescence leads to deficient pancreas development. This is known for many years. Having a smaller pancreas is a risk factor for different forms of diabetes. Essentially, have fewer reserves of insulin -producing cells.
Diabetes is a generic term for a number of conditions that result in high levels of blood sugar, but underlying causes vary greatly. Understanding the specific types of diabetes that a person has is crucial to providing proper treatment.
As medical science evolves, the classification of diabetes also evolves. Recognizing diabetes related to malnutrition as type 5 will stimulate discussion. It is a step towards a better understanding and global care, especially in low -yielding countries.
