by Jamie Craig

Created on: April 17, 2009

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease; in simpler terms the body's immune system becomes confused and begins to attack the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin, these cells are called "Beta cells". Due to the destruction of these cells production of insulin comes to a virtual standstill. This causes wild variations in blood sugar levels, which are essential for maintaining the correct amount of energy being stored and being used for various activities. For this reason Type 1 diabetes is a very dangerous disease which has the potential to be lethal if not diagnosed and treated quickly. This is a quick rundown of things you need to know about diabetes.

1. Self-Diagnosis

There are several things that are warning signs of having developed Type 1 diabetes. The most obvious ones include a change in sleep patterns and/or feeling tired, an involuntary loss of weight, frequent urination and a change in appetite. If you have had any of these symptoms recently and are generally feeling "under the weather" then you should consult your doctor because there may be a serious underlying cause.

2. Cause

There is still a lot of scientific debate as to what is the cause of Type 1 diabetes. It has been proven that the immune system attacks beta cells, however what begins this process is still largely unknown although there are several theories currently trying to explain the development of the disease. Two of the most prevalent currently are the existence of a faulty nerve near the pancreas which has the ability to trigger an immune response. It has also been proven that accidental ingestion of some chemicals has the ability to trigger Type 1 diabetes.
There is also believed to be a genetic basis of the disease.

There is a certain gene on chromosome 6 that has so far been identified to be a contributor to developing diabetes called IDDM1. There have also been some genes that may be weak in diabetes patients on chromosome 11 and 18. Having a genetic make-up can only ever make you prone to diabetes however; type 1 diabetes is believed to be 50-70% environmental in its development according to a recent study. Environmental factors that are already believed to contribute include whether or not a child has been breastfed (those who haven't are estimated to be twice more susceptible to type 1 diabetes) as well as the levels of Vitamin D the person has.

3. Symptoms

Symptoms of having Type 1 diabetes without treatment include difficulty getting to sleep and waking up, weight loss,

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