What causes diabetes?

[Eva24]

Hi everyone,

I am a 24 yr old Swedish female who just got diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few months ago. I am injecting 4 times a day and am still in the learning process of my condition.

As everything is still so new to me, I wonder why on earth I got this? What causes diabetes? It was a complete shock to me, being fit and healthy with a BMI of 19. I have never really had any health issues, last time I went to a doctor (before being diagnosed) was when I was a child!

I would really appreciate if somebody could please tell me why and what causes diabetes.

Thanks,
Eva.

[Evermont]

Hi Eva, welcome to DF!

The way I understand it, your immune system got confused and attacked the beta cells in your pancreas. These cells produce insulin, which is a hormone that you really need, so now you have to get it elsewhere.

BMI is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes so it's not really relevant to Type 1.

I've heard a number of possible causes for the immune system to go bonkers, perhaps there are many possibilities. This recent article (link (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210180841.htm)) shows that we're still figuring it out.

[mazea]

I think I've heard it is a combination of genes and nature. Some of the genes that may be related to type 1 have recently been discovered.
Type 1 Diabetes And Celiac Disease Linked (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081210180841.htm) Oh someone already posted that link lol.

[Jan B]

When I was diagnosed, I was the only T1 (no T2s either) in my family. I had also just recovered from pneumonia. About two years later, a first cousin became a T1 (at age 18), then a bit later our grandpa got T1 (or LADA - never officially diagnosed, but immediately went on insulin) at about 68 years of age.

[Carwy]

Then there are those of us who will progress through type 2 on our way to type 1 and a pancreas that is out to lunch for ever do to other health reasons not related to weight.

[Eva24]

Thanks everyone for explaining this to me! I clearly need to educate myself more about both Type 1 & 2 :)

Very interesting reading. It is great that this community exists, since I don't know anyone else who has diabetes.

Thanks again everyone.

[Evermont]

A related article:

Suspected Cause Of Type 1 Diabetes Caught 'Red-handed' For The First Time

ScienceDaily (May 10, 2008) — Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis working with diabetic mice have examined in unprecedented detail the immune cells long thought to be responsible for type 1 diabetes.

Researchers were able to examine the immune cells from isolated insulin-making structures in the pancreas known as the islets of Langerhans. They caught the immune cells, known as dendritic cells, "red-handed": Carrying insulin and fragments of insulin-producing cells known as beta cells. This can be the first step toward starting a misdirected immune system attack that destroys the beta cells, preventing the body from making insulin and causing type 1 diabetes.

The results push scientists a step closer to finding ways to treat this condition....

(link (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080509111240.htm))

[Evermont]

This article seems to be on topic:

Breakthrough In Understanding Development Of Type 1 Diabetes

ScienceDaily (Dec. 17, 2008) — Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in understanding the development of type 1 diabetes. They discovered disturbances in lipid and amino acid metabolism in children who later progressed to type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes. The alterations preceded the autoimmune response by months to years. The study may prompt new approaches for prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes in pre-autoimmune phase of the disease.

...

The investigators found that the individuals who developed diabetes had reduced serum levels of succinic acid and phosphatidylcholine at birth, reduced levels of triglycerides and antioxidant ether phospholipids throughout the follow-up and increased levels of proinflammatory lysophosphatidylcholines several months prior to autoimmunity to pancreatic beta cells. The metabolic profile was partially normalized following the autoimmune response, suggesting autoimmunity may be a relatively late physiological response to the early metabolic disturbances. The observed lipid changes were not attributable to HLA-associated genetic risk.

Metabolic profiling at early age may therefore aid in determining the risk of type 1 diabetes. The reported findings imply that metabolic or immunomodulatory interventions during the pre-autoimmune period may be used as a new potential strategy for prevention of type 1 diabetes.

...

(link (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081217123829.htm))

[Mich]

That's all fine you people, but when I was living in the Virgin Islands, an elderly lady told me that "Jumbies" had caused my diabetes.

Given the amazing, apparently accurate and unrelated rececnt discoveries, it's about as good as anything else we know.;)

Mich
With tongue firmly planted in cheek and hopeful just the same.