Diabetes

Type I

Type I Diabetes is an acute life threatening form of diabetes believed by clinical medicine to have environmental triggers (such as a virus) that cause the immune system to launch an ongoing lifelong attack on the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.

Insulin, a primary metabolic hormone that facilitates cellular energy, runs the endocrine system, and provides hormone and endocrine balance. Appetite, fat storage or usage, and energy are impacted by insulin.

Destruction or absence of key enzymes such as amylase and other hormones such as Amylin, hormone imbalance or lack (insulin and others), endocrine disruption, and nutritional deficiencies are also aspects of Type I Diabetes. Type I Diabetes (T1D) is predominantly diagnosed in children and teens, but is also diagnosed in adults (see below). T1D is classified as a metabolic, endocrine, degenerative, vascular, genetic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease.

 

Type 1.5 (LADA) 

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes of Adults appears usually after age 25-30 and can be diagnosed in older adults as well. (see above for information). LADA acts like Type 1 and Type 2 combined in many cases.

 

Monogenic Diabetes

A form of Type I Diabetes in which the person has some residual insulin production over time. Many times mistaken for Type II. (see Type I above for further details). Causes lowered insulin production.  

 

Type II

Type II Diabetes is a combination of genetic, immune and environmental factors including auto-antibodies to insulin receptors (immune attack), mutations in cell receptor genes, fat regulation and storage issues, insulin resistance, (due to environmental factors such as toxin burden/damage) and metabolic imbalance, (either not able to produce enough insulin to keep up with demand of environment, or unable to regulate levels properly). (Hormone Resistance in Diabetes and Obesity: Insulin Leptin, and FGF 21, Jeffrey S Flier; Yale J Biol Med. 2012 September; 85(3): 405-414). Type II also has nutrient and functional deficiencies. It is predominantly diagnosed in adults, although the rates of child diagnosis are skyrocketing in a historically older population. 

Type III

Alzheimer's is believed in current circles to be the result of AGE's (Advanced Glycation End Products) aka sugar levels in tissues that damage neurological function. Elevated insulin can also damage neural function as well as fluctuations of high and low blood sugar.

 

Gestational Diabetes

A form of diabetes occurring as a result of the physiological burden of pregnancy. In some cases this form resolves after childbirth but may also present as full blown insulin dependency at a later time. May be an indicator of genetic predisposition expressed by pregnancy.

 

Note:

  • Every type of Diabetes while serious is different.

  • There are many forms not listed here such as Diabetes Insipidus which is caused by lesions or tumors on the pituitary gland and causes frequent urination (Polyuria) or ADH and MDH deficiency, or riboflavin which also cause lesions. Polyuria usually resolves when issues are addressed but condition does not require anti diabetic drugs or insulin therapy.

  • It is possible to be diagnosed with all types of Diabetes concurrently. They are different conditions but equally challenging, requiring different protocols to address them effectively.

  • They have in common blood sugar level and endocrine dis-regulation.

  • Primary and secondary complications, while equally serious, tend to follow different patterns according to genetics and predisposition.

  • All have been treated with lifestyle/behavioral modification and pharmaceuticals with less than optimal success.

  • All types have been predominantly the venue of allopathic medicine (symptom treatment/end stage pathology).

  • All types of Diabetes are profoundly impacted by public and provider mis-understanding.

  • Type I, Type II, LADA, and Monogenic Diabetes have no cure, only management.