Have you been diagnosed with diabetes and wondering if that means you will have to start taking insulin?
The answer to this question depends on two factors: which type of diabetes you were diagnosed with and how much your condition has progressed.
Insulin Needs in The Two Types of Diabetes
Even though patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes need insulin, as that is the main cause behind the condition, their individual need for insulin varies.
While people living with type 1 diabetes need to supplement their body with insulin due to the inability of their body to make enough, the case is a bit different with type 2 diabetes.
Although a type 2 diabetes patient may be prescribed insulin, doctors will most likely recommend you first start out on a healthy diet and a more active life through regular exercise to see if it will help.
Even if at the end, you will need to take medications and/or insulin, exercising and eating right may help you require less than you expected.
A significant factor that determines whether or not a person with type 2 diabetes will need insulin is your individual circumstance.
The Causes of The Two Types of Diabetes
The difference between the two types of diabetes simply lies in the cause of the condition.
The beta cells located in the pancreas are responsible for producing insulin. In type 1 diabetes, the supply of insulin is limited because most of the beta cells have been destroyed.
Because of this shortage of insulin production, an individual living with type 1 diabetes may need to regularly take insulin to control their blood glucose levels.
In type 2 diabetes, however, the beta cells in the pancreas may still be producing insulin, but in most cases, it’s either not producing enough or the body is resisting the insulin produced.
In type 2 diabetes, exercise, diet, and various oral medications could help the body make use of the insulin produced more efficiently.
An important thing to note in this case is that type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease, which means over time, the insulin production deteriorates, making insulin therapy a necessity.
There is growing evidence confirming that earlier use of insulin in type 2 diabetes may help improve the disease overall by helping the pancreas continue to make insulin.
Bottom Line
The role of insulin in the management of diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes cannot be overemphasized.
Because of the body’s inability to produce enough insulin in type 1 diabetes, individuals suffering from this type of diabetes tends to need insulin more than people living with type 2 – even though they also may require insulin.
However, it is important to consult your doctor for professional guidance concerning the dosage or amount of insulin, the suitable delivery option, and the suitable type to avoid any form of complication or adverse effects.
Sources
1. The Diabetes Council. (2018, May 2). Type 1 Diabetes: An Overview. Retrieved from https://www.thediabetescouncil.com/type-1-diabetes-an-overview/
2. Tahseen Chowdhury. (2015, Feb 24). Type 1 Diabetes. Net doctor. Retrieved from http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/conditions/diabetes/a828/type-1-diabetes/
3. Barbie Cervoni. (2017, Oct 11). An Overview of Type 2 Diabetes. Very Well Health. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/type-2-diabetes-4014632
4. Elizabeth Woolley. (2017, Dec 03). How Insulin Works in the Body; What It Does and How It Is Used. Very Well Health. Retrieved from https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-insulin-works-in-the-body-1087716
5. Chris Iliades. (2016, Jan 11). Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes: When, Why, and How. Everyday Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/treatment/insulin/