A burning question arises as cases of diabetes ramp up: what causes diabetes? It was commonly thought that type 2 diabetes was caused by eating too much sugar, but research has shown it’s not as simple as that. Here are some possible causes of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 Causes
Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system destroys the cells of the pancreas that make insulin. Some of the causes of type 1 diabetes could be:
- Viral or bacterial infection
- Chemical toxins within our food
- A disturbance of microorganisms in the gut
- An unidentified factor that causes an autoimmune reaction
- A family history of type 1
- Genetics
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Type 2 Causes
Type 2 diabetes, when your body is insulin-resistant or doesn’t produce enough insulin, usually has more than one cause. Possible causes and risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Obesity
- A sedentary lifestyle
- Being older
- Eating an unhealthy diet
- Having a family history of diabetes
- Having high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels
- Smoking
- Genetic mutations
Other causes of diabetes
Other causes of diabetes include:
- Problems with the pancreas, such as pancreatitis or pancreatectomy.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
- Cushing’s syndrome, which leads to an increase in cortisol, which in turn increases blood glucose levels.
- Acromegaly, a hormonal condition in which the body makes too much growth hormone. This can lead to weight gain and diabetes.
- Hyperthyroidism, which occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone, leading to excessive weight gain and diabetes.
- Glucagonoma, which causes an imbalance between levels of insulin production and glucagon production.
- Steroid diabetes, which can occur due to long-term using of glucocorticoid therapy.
