The causes of type 1 diabetes is a result of the destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas, which is primarily responsible for the production of a hormone called insulin. The destruction is basically caused by the body’s own immune system, subsequently leading to an increase of glucose in the blood and urine. Type 1 diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes as it has been mostly diagnosed in children, adolescents, and young adults. In type 1 diabetes, special cells called beta cells in the pancreas of the human body, responsible for producing insulin needed to move blood sugar into cells, either produce no insulin at all or produce only a little amount. This lack of insulin would, in turn, causes the building up of blood sugar or glucose in the bloodstream which would have been used as energy of the human body, had it been properly moved to the cells by the presence of insulin. Since the glucose or blood sugar is stuck in the bloodstream, it will not be anymore converted into energy. This condition would lead into the development of type 1 diabetes.
What Are The Causes Of Type 1 Diabetes
Scientists have not yet fully understood and established in their studies the exact causes of type 1 diabetes. However, there are several factors believed to be involved in the development of the disease. As several scientific evidences suggest so far, causes of type 1 diabetes may involve a lot of factors- genetic, viral, environmental, and other minor factors. Scientific researchers found that one of the possible causes of type 1 diabetes may be the genetic structure of the individual. As type 1 diabetes is basically a polygenic disease, scientists are studying the possibility that certain variants of genes in the body of an individual may be a contributing factor in acquiring type 1 diabetes.
Physiological Causes Of Type 1 Diabetes
Scientists believe to be one of the possible causes of type 1 diabetes is the environmental factor. It is scientifically proven that while genetic factors may be one of the causes of type 1 diabetes, the environment has a vital role in it. As shown in scientific studies, one person who has an identical twin may acquire the disease while the other one may not. This is sufficient enough to show that the environment contributes to the occurrence of the disease. Viral infections are also being scientifically studied as to their contribution in triggering type 1 diabetes. Certain individuals who are genetically susceptible to type 1 diabetes may acquire the disease through a viral infection. Certain types of viruses that enter the human body are implicated as one of the causes of type 1 diabetes. Coxsackieviruses are believed to cause infections that might trigger type 1 diabetes. The presence of such viruses causes the immune system to automatically response and attacks the cells that are infected by the virus mistakenly including the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.
Others factors that may play roles in triggering the causes of type 1 diabetes include diet and the presence of various chemicals and drugs in the human body. Scientific studies reveal that there may be some connections between the food intake and the development of type 1 diabetes this also applies to the causes of type 2 diabetes. There are also chemicals and drugs that, if taken into the human body, destroy pancreatic beta cells that causes failure in insulin production. Now we are also seeing these leading causes of type 1 diabetes in children.