Understanding type 1 vs type 2 diabetes
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the two main types of diabetes.
They both affect the way the body processes glucose, but there are big differences in the conditions themselves, as well as in how they are treated.
What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?
For people with type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t produce any insulin at all.
For those with type 2 diabetes the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the insulin doesn’t work effectively1.
Insulin is crucial for transporting glucose from food out of the bloodstream and into the cells, where it can be used for energy2.
This helps to ensure that your blood sugar levels stay within a healthy range.
In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes the lack of, or inefficiency of, insulin means this doesn’t happen.
As a result, the level of glucose in the blood is too high.
Treatment is needed to bring blood sugar levels down so that the body can function properly. This also reduces the risk of longerterm complications.
Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 diabetes.
What is type 1 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that occurs when the body’s immune system attacks itself, in this case destroying the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin.
You can’t do anything to prevent type 1 diabetes, and type 1 diabetes currently cannot be cured.
Although it’s more commonly diagnosed in childhood, you can develop type 1 diabetes at any age3.
What is type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes either the body cannot produce enough insulin, or the body cannot use the insulin properly - this is known as insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance means the body needs more insulin to keep blood sugar levels within range, and the pancreas can wear out from having to produce greater amounts4.
It can take a lot longer for symptoms of type 2 diabetes to develop, and they are not always obvious4.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop very quickly. Look out for diabetes UK's The 4Ts which are the most common symptoms of type 1 diabetes3: Toilet, Thirsty, Tired, Thinner.
It is advised to seek medical advice if you start to display the following symptoms5:
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying
- thrush that keeps coming back
- blurred vision
- cuts and grazes that are not healing
- fruity-smelling breath
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes
According to the NHS, symptoms include6:
- peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- feeling thirsty all the time
- feeling very tired
- losing weight without trying to
- itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- blurred vision
Type 2 diabetes mostly affects those over the age of 40, or 25 if you’re of South Asian descent6,7.
Different factors that put someone at increased risk of type 2 diabetes include: age, family history of the condition, being overweight or obese, and ethnicity - people from African Caribbean, Black African or South Asian backgrounds are at higher risk from a younger age6,8.
Currently there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, although it is sometimes possible to be put into diabetes remission with effective treatment9.
Treatment for type 1 diabetes
Because people with type 1 diabetes don’t produce any insulin, they need to use insulin to treat the condition. This is done using insulin injections or an insulin pump.
Frequently checking blood sugar levels via finger prick testing, or a continuous or flash glucose monitor, is also an important part of type 1 diabetes management.
It helps to determine how much insulin is needed to keep blood glucose within a safe and healthy range.
This can help to prevent glucose levels from running too high (also know as hyperglycaemia) or too low (also known as hypoglycaemia) for sustained periods of time.
Treatment for type 2 diabetes
Some people manage their type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise, but many people require medication to help keep their glucose levels in range.
These are the main treatments for type 2 diabetes9:
• Eating well and moving more
• Weight loss
• Medications that help lower blood glucose*
Medical treatments should be discussed with your healthcare professional.
We will have additional modules that explain blood sugar levels and hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia in more detail.
Other forms of diabetes
Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common types, but there are many other, rarer types of diabetes.
Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after birth2. This affects around two to five percent of pregnant women and occurs as hormonal changes increase demands for insulin production4.
Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) sits between type 1 and type 2 and is sometimes called type 1.5 diabetes.
People with LADA can be misdiagnosed as type 2, as the destruction of the beta cells occurs much slower than with type 1 diabetes4.
This means that some people can manage their symptoms with diet, exercise and tablets at first, but most people will eventually treat LADA with insulin.
Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a rare form of diabetes that occurs due to a single gene mutation.
What should I do if I’m worried I might have diabetes?
Diabetes symptoms can develop very quickly, while the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are often less obvious and can go unnoticed.
Book an appointment with your healthcare provider if you are experiencing the following main symptoms of diabetes7:
• feeling very thirsty
• peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
• feeling very tired
• weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
• itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
• blurred vision
1 https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics
2 https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/tests/blood-sugar
3 https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-1
4 https://jdrf.org.uk/information-support/about-type-1-diabetes/what-is-the-difference-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes/
5 https://jdrf.org.uk/information-support/about-type-1-diabetes/
6 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms/
7 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diabetes/
8 https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2/causes
9 https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2/treatments
Next up...
Are you thinking about using an insulin pump to manage your type 1 diabetes? There’s a lot to consider, and terms like ‘patch pump’ and ‘closed-loop’ might be new to you. Let’s find out what an insulin pump is, and how insulin pump therapy works!