Type I versus Type II diabetes

Get the straight story on the difference between these two types of diabetes
Nov. 1, 2010 | By: Stefanie Wallace

A diagnosis of any disease can be upsetting, but finding out you're diabetic could be especially confusing as there are two types of the disease. November is diabetes month, so what better time to educate yourself about diabetes?

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association's website, Type I diabetes is usually diagnosed in children or adolescents. As Paul Cavanagh Sr., a pharmacist in Hagersville, Ont. explains, your body makes glucose or sugar from the food you eat. The pancreas creates the insulin hormone and uses the glucose to help your body control the sugar levels in your blood. People who have Type I diabetes do not naturally produce insulin, and the sugar stays in the bloodstream. No one knows the cause of this, and it is not preventable.

Ninety per cent of people with diabetes are affected by Type II diabetes. "People with Type II diabetes do not produce enough insulin [in the pancreas] to control the blood sugar, or their body does not properly use the insulin that the pancreas produces," Cavanagh explains. According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, scientists believe that changes in lifestyle, such as weight loss, can help prevent Type II diabetes. At the very least, a healthy lifestyle, including a nutritious meal plan and lots of physical activity, may prevent the onset of the disease.

Although Type I and Type II diabetes are caused by different things, the symptoms of both can be similar. The Canadian Diabetes Association's website lists symptoms including:

• Unusual thirst
• Frequent urination
• Weight gain or loss
• Extreme fatigue, weakness or lack of energy
• Cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
• Blurred vision

However, the website notes many people who are affected by Type II diabetes may not have any symptoms at all.

Being diagnosed with diabetes means your lifestyle may change, but Cavanagh notes people with the disease can still be active and independent if they take necessary steps to control it.
"Keep up with physical activity, eat healthy and stay in shape," Cavanagh says. He also recommends trying to keep your blood pressure level normal and keep stress to a minimum. "Discuss your treatment options with your doctor, pharmacist and nutritionist. Educate yourself about your condition to have the most control over it."