Type one diabetes is an interesting condition as far as life-altering chronic diseases go. We understand the mechanics behind it, the effects and the way the disease can get out of control too, so well but we don’ understand what the cause it. The initial instigator of type on diabetes eludes us even now, we’ve got all sorts of factors which can influence your chance of contracting type one diabetes but the defining one, the cause, is still a bit of a mystery.
We know that type one diabetes occurs when an autoimmune reaction in the body causes the immune systems attack dogs, the T-cells to latch onto and then destroy the insulin producing B cells found in the pancreas. These cells are the body’s only way of producing insulin and without that hormone blood-sugar it’s absorbed by the body and diabetes emerges.
Unlike type two, which can be managed with the proper level of diet and exercise, type one requires regular doses of insulin. Without these the body has no source of the hormone and damage occurs. The condition is generally diagnosed at a young age and therefore the lifestyle changes which are required to properly manage the condition are much easier to adapt to.
The real irritation with type one diabetes is that, though scientists can now transplant new B cells into the body and effectively cure the damaging factor of the condition, they can’t halt the immune system. Any new B cells are targeted and destroyed just like the original ones and as they don’t know what actually causes this attack, scientists are still stumped as to what to do to prevent it.
Worry not, of all the areas of type one diabetes currently under study; this one is receiving by far the most funding. As soon as the initial cause is determined and countered we can all wave goodbye to type one diabetes.
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