While both types can pose serious health risks, the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is significant. The two types normally strike at different ages and require different treatments. Both are caused when the patient’s pancreas cannot produce sufficient insulin or the body is unable to utilize it properly. Insulin is a hormone used by the body to remove sugar from the blood, storing it in cells where it can be used for energy.

Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes is normally diagnosed in children and young adults. In the past, most patients with Type 2 have been in their mid-forties or older. Over the past few decades, however, physicians have been finding more cases of Type 2 in younger patients. Teenagers and even elementary school children are being diagnosed with alarming frequency. There is some debate over whether this statistic reflects better diagnostics or a significant increase in cases.

Patients with Type 1 are normally underweight when the condition is first discovered. Usually, these patients are not producing insulin, preventing the body from using fat cells to store sugar. The opposite is true with the majority of Type 2 patients, who tend to be overweight when diagnosed. Most of them are able to produce some insulin, but in insufficient quantities. There are also some who are resistant to insulin and whose bodies are ineffectively utilizing the hormone.

The treatment plan will be determined by which type is diagnosed. Insulin shots, daily or even more often, are typically required for Type 1 but rarely are needed for Type 2. Those with adult onset diabetes can usually control their conditions with exercise, diet, and weight loss. Oral medications may also be prescribed if they are needed.

Regardless of the type, there are potential risks that can be quite serious. High blood sugar can lead to damages to the organs such as the kidneys. Nerves, especially in the extremities, can be damaged severely enough to necessitate amputation. The disease also raises the risk of circulatory and coronary complications such as stroke or heart attack.

Patients with either form of diabetes may display no symptoms at all. They may also suffer from excessive hunger or thirst. They may have numbness in the arms or legs, blurred vision, or burning sensations in the extremities, especially in their legs or feet. One of the most common symptoms is waking up at night to urinate or having to go frequently during the day.

A proper diet is critical for both types of diabetes. Meals should be consistent, eaten at the same time each day and in the same mix of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Sugar should be banished or highly restricted. In addition, diabetics should not consume alcoholic beverages.

There is not a cure yet for either Type 1 or Type 2, but both can normally be controlled. The disease has been widely studied, and new treatments are still being discovered. There are many in the medical field who feel that an effective, permanent cure is just a matter of time and research.

Do you know what the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is? Get the low down on a blood sugar chart information in our exclusive blood sugar levels chart guide.