Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease where the body's immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Without insulin to convert blood sugar into energy, sugar builds up in the bloodstream and can cause damage to organs. Symptoms include extreme thirst, frequent urination, drowsiness, and weight loss. There is no known cause, but treatments involve daily insulin injections or pumps and frequent blood sugar testing to manage levels and avoid potentially life-threatening reactions.

1. TYPE 1 DIABETES

2. What is it?
• Type 1 Diabetes is a flaw of the human immune system
that makes it hard for the pancreas to produce insulin.
The body therefore cannot convert sugar from food into
nutrients. Sugar builds up in the blood stream and without
being treated, this disease can eventually cause severe
damage to organs and premature death. People of all
ages can be diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, but it is
most common in children and young adults. This disorder
is chronic, or lifelong.

3. Symptoms
• Extreme thirst
• Frequent urination
• Drowsiness
• Sugar in urine
• Blurry vision
• Increased appetite
• Sudden weight loss
• Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath
• Heavy, labored breathing
• Numb/tingly feet
• Wounds that won’t heal

4. What actually happens
• The body's immune system attacks & destroys cells in the
pancreas. These cells are called beta cells. These cells
are located within small islands of endocrine cells called
the pancreatic islets. Beta cells produce insulin (a
hormone that helps the body move the glucose, aka
sugar, in food into cells throughout the body) and uses it
for energy. However, since the beta cells are being
destroyed, no insulin can be produced & glucose stays in
the blood stream instead where it can cause serious
damage to all organ systems in your body.

5. Causes of Type 1 Diabetes
• The exact cause is unknown, but it is most likely an
autoimmune disorder. An infection causes the body to
mistakenly attack the pancreas cells. This disease can be
passed down through families.

6. Treatments
• Inject insulin daily
• Have insulin delivered through an insulin pump & test
blood sugar by pricking their fingers six or more times a
day to get blood samples

7. Living with Type 1 Diabetes
• People diagnosed with this disease along with taking
insulin in some way every day must also live a very health
conscious life style. It is important that those with this
disorder exercise frequently and eat a healthy diet to
maintain blood sugar levels. If not, you could have a
hypoglycemic reaction, in which your blood sugar level
plummets, or an hyperglycemic reaction, where your
blood sugar level raise abnormally high. These reactions
can be life threatening.

8. Bibliography
• "What Is Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)?" What Is Type 1
Diabetes? JDRF, n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
• Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Type 1 Diabetes." Type 1
Diabetes. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov.
0000. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.
• All images imported from Google Images