How Many Types of Diabetes Are There?
Recognizing the Various Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is typically categorized into four different general categories.
Let’s dig in and see what the differences are!
Category I ➾ Type I Diabetes (T1D)
When the body destroys the ß-Cells (Beta-Cells), causing a complete insulin deficiency in the body this is referred to as the autoimmune disease Type I Diabetes. Without the insulin hormone, the body cannot move sugar from the bloodstream into the cells for use. This build-up of sugar in the bloodstream is damaging to the body and can cause complications. About 5% of those living with Diabetes have T1D.
Type 1 Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults, which is why it is sometimes called “juvenile diabetes.” We now know that T1D can actually develop at any age, and thus the name changed to Type I Diabetes. “Insulin-Dependent Diabetes” is another name you may hear T1D referred to.
Category II ➾ Type II Diabetes (T2D)
Over 30 Million Americans (or 1 in 10) are living with some form of Diabetes. The most commonly recognized form of Diabetes is Type II, which accounts for 90-95% of those living with Diabetes. It is also sometimes called “Non-Insulin-Dependent diabetes” or “Adult-Onset Diabetes.” These terms can be confusing as some people with T2D may need to inject insulin. It is not unusual now for children to develop T2D as well.
So what causes it? Type II Diabetes is typically caused due to insulin resistance or a progressive loss of ß-Cell (Beta-Cell) insulin secretion. In other words, your cells do not respond normally to the insulin your pancreas is producing.
Category III ➾ Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)
Gestational Diabetes can develop in the second or third trimester of pregnancy in a mother who did not previously have any known form of Diabetes. About 2-10% of pregnancies are affected by Gestational Diabetes each year.
Pregnancy causes the body to go through many changes. During the later stages of pregnancy, the body produces more hormones, which can keep the body’s cells from using insulin properly, resulting in insulin resistance. When the body cannot keep up with this need for more insulin, Gestational Diabetes occurs.
After the baby is born, Gestational Diabetes typically goes away on its own. Still, about 50% of those who had the disease during pregnancy develop Type II Diabetes later in life.
Category IV ➾ Specific Types of Diabetes Due to Other Causes
While categories I-III are the most common, we have discovered there are specific types of Diabetes due to other causes:
Monogenic Diabetes Syndromes such as:
Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY)
Neonatal Diabetes
Diseases of the Exocrine Pancreas such as:
Cystic Fibrosis
Pancreatitis
Drug- or Chemical-Induced Diabetes such as:
After Organ Transplantation
Glucocorticoid Use
In the Treatment of HIV/AIDS
To learn more about Diabetes symptoms or how Diabetes is diagnosed, check out these articles from The American Diabetes Association: