* AWARENESS
considered a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes is the relationship among family members who have type 1. Although the risk of inheriting type 1 diabetes from your parents is estimated to be only about 5 to 10 percent, the chance of having diabetes if your identi- cal twin has the disease can be up to 50 percent. For this reason, researchers have proposed that contrary to being influenced by only one or two genes, there are likely many genes that contribute towards the develop- ment of type 1 diabetes.
A second, well-known potential cause of diabetes includes environmental factors. As mentioned, there is approximately a 50-50 chance that if one identical twin has diabetes the other will have it as well. The reason the other 50 percent of twins don’t develop diabetes cannot be explained. Since identical twins share the same genetic makeup, there must be other environmen- tal factors in play that may influence genetic factors. A third possible cause of type 1 diabetes is expo- sure to viruses. Several viruses have been researched heavily and have been thought to be potential causes, including the coxsackievirus and Epstein-Barr, the virus that causes mononucleosis. The theory behind this probable cause of type 1 diabetes is that while attacking the virus, the immune
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system creates antibodies that confuse the virus with beta cells of the pancreas. Thus both the virus and the beta cells of the pancreas are attacked by the immune system and destroyed. This results in the development of type 1 diabetes, as the body starts producing less and less insulin while more beta cells are destroyed.
Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes tend to be overweight, and also can have a greater family history of diabetes. They have usually been older, but as the obesity epidemic in America grows, we are unfortunately seeing younger and younger patients develop type 2 diabetes. Some patients with type 2 diabetes are as young as six- years-old! Type 2 diabetes is generally caused by what is known as insulin insensitivity. This condition usually occurs over a long period of time after your body be- gins desensitizing itself to insulin. This is the result of significantly elevated blood sugars over this period of time. As your body is exposed to more and more insu- lin, the receptors and subsequent downstream chemi- cal pathways that are supposed to respond to insulin begin not responding as well. The outcome is that your body struggles to reduce blood sugar levels.
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