Type 1 diabetes can be diagnosed in adults
DEAR DOCTOR: I always thought Type 1 diabetes developed when you were a child, but now they’re saying it can happen as an adult. How do I know if I develop it?
DEAR READER: While there are several types of diabetes, they all have one basic thing in common: The body has lost the ability to adequately regulate the levels of glucose in the blood. When things are working properly, this glucose control is achieved by insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin makes it possible for the body to either use the glucose that enters the blood after digestion or to store it for future use.
In Type 2 diabetes, which can develop at any age, the body has either stopped responding to insulin or no longer produces enough to properly regulate blood sugar and keep it within optimal levels. In Type 1 diabetes, often referred to as “juvenile diabetes,” the body’s immune system goes haywire and attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
Because Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, the attack on the insulin-producing cells, known as the islets of Langerhans, is sustained. Unlike in Type 2 diabetes, which can sometimes be managed
through diet and lifestyle changes, there is no middle ground in Type 1 diabetes. The insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are destroyed. To keep blood glucose within a safe range, insulin must be introduced to the body at regular intervals.
Type 1 diabetes is most commonly identified in childhood, but according to the National Institutes of Health, up to 25 percent of cases get diagnosed in adults, some as old as 80 or 90.
Symptoms, which can occur quite suddenly, may include an extreme thirst that cannot be quenched, frequent urination, lethargy or exhaustion, high sugar content in urine, sudden changes to vision, an increased appetite, unexpected weight loss, a sweet or fruity scent on the breath and loss of consciousness
There is no cure for Type 1 diabetes. However, in the vast majority of cases the disease can be successfully managed with insulin, diet and exercise.
Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health.
Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90095.