What are the causes of Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes was formerly referred to as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, a chronic disease in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone required for glucose (sugar) to enter cells and be used as an energy source.
It is unclear what causes type 1 diabetes. The insulin-producing (islet, or islets of Langerhans) cells of the pancreas are typically mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system, which typically battles harmful bacteria and viruses. Since the body attacks itself, it is referred to as autoimmune reaction or autoimmune cause.
Other potential causes are :
- Family background. A person’s risk of getting type 1 diabetes is marginally elevated if they have a parent or sibling who has the disease
- Virus exposure and other environmental variables
- Chemical toxins within food
- Genetics. Type 1 diabetes is more likely to develop if specific genes are present.
- Geography. As you move farther from the equator, type 1 diabetes tends to become
more common
- Age. Type 1 diabetes can manifest at any age, although there are two distinct peaks in its occurrence. Children between the ages of 4 and 7 experience the first peak, while those between the ages of 10 and 14 experience the second.
In conclusion the causes of Type 1 diabetes vary according to the amount of insulin your body produces, your genetics and your exposure to certain viruses which might facilitate its development in your body.
