Causes of Type 1 diabetes

List of causes of Type 1 diabetes

Following is a list of causes or underlying conditions (see also Misdiagnosis of underlying causes of Type 1 diabetes) that could possibly cause Type 1 diabetes includes:

• Haemochromatosis
• Polyendochrine syndromes - some rare syndromes cause multiple autoimmune diseases in various body glands
• Chronic pancreatitis - pancreas damage that can mimic diabetes.
• Cystic fibrosis
• Addison's disease

Longer list of causes of Diabetes-like symptoms:see full list of causes for Diabetes-like symptoms

Type 1 diabetes Causes: Risk Factors

The following conditions have been cited in various sources as potentially causal risk factors related to Type 1 diabetes:

• Family history of Type 1 diabetes - but a family history of Type 2 diabetes is not an extra risk
• Personal history of autoimmune diseases
• Family history of autoimmune diseases
• more risk factors »

Type 1 diabetes Causes: Male-Female Gender Ratio

Gender of Patients for Type 1 diabetes: Women 2:1 (NWHIC); other sources say males and females equally....more »

Type 1 diabetes: Related Medical Conditions

To research the causes of Type 1 diabetes, consider researching the causes of these these diseases that may be similar, or associated with Type 1 diabetes:

• Insulin
• Diabetic ketoacidosis
• Insulin pumps
• Lipoatrophy
• Autoimmunity
• Hypoglycemia

Type 1 diabetes: Causes and Types

Causes of Broader Categories of Type 1 diabetes: Review the causal information about the various more general categories of medical conditions:

• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases
• Pancreas conditions
• Adolescent conditions
• Diabetes-like conditions
• more types...»

Type 1 diabetes as a complication of other conditions:

Other conditions that might have Type 1 diabetes as a complication may, potentially, be an underlying cause of Type 1 diabetes. Our database lists the following as having Type 1 diabetes as a complication of that condition:

• Chronic Pancreatitis
• Hemochromatosis
• Pancreatitis
• Polyendocrine deficiency syndrome

Type 1 diabetes as a symptom:

Conditions listing Type 1 diabetes as a symptom may also be potential underlying causes of Type 1 diabetes. Our database lists the following as having Type 1 diabetes as a symptom of that condition:

• 18p minus syndrome
• Autoimmune enteropathy, type 1
• Chromosome 18, Monosomy 18p
• Chromosome 18p minus syndrome
• Diabetes mellitus, congenital insulin-dependent, with fatal secretory diarrhea
• Diarrhea -- polyendocrinopathy -- infections, X-linked
• Diarrhea, polyendocrinopathy, fatal infection syndrome, X-linked
• Enteropathy, autoimmune, with hemolytic anemia and polyendocrinopathy
• Immune dysregulation -- polyendocrinopathy -- enteropathy, X linked
• IPEX syndrome
• Mental retardation -- dysmorphism -- hypogonadism -- diabetes
• Polyendocrine deficiency syndrome type 2
• Polyendocrinopathy, immune dysfunction, and diarrhea, X-linked
• Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome

What causes Type 1 diabetes?

Causes: Type 1 diabetes: Autoimmune attack against the pancreas's insulin-producing cells.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease results when the body's system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin. Someone with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin daily to live. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes Overview: NIDDK)
Article excerpts about the causes of Type 1 diabetes:

Understanding Autoimmune Disease: NIAID (Excerpt)

Type 1 diabetes mellitus results from autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Insulin is required by the body to keep the blood sugar (glucose) level under control. High levels of glucose are responsible for the symptoms and the complications of the disease. However, most of the insulin-producing cells are destroyed before the patient develops symptoms of diabetes (Source: excerpt from Understanding Autoimmune Disease: NIAID)

Diabetes: NWHIC (Excerpt)

An autoimmune disease results when the body's system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them. The pancreas then produces little or no insulin, thereby preventing cells from taking up sugar from blood. (Source: excerpt from Diabetes: NWHIC)

What triggers Type 1 diabetes?

The following conditions are listed as possible triggers for Type 1 diabetes:

• Viruses - although unclear, various viruses have been mentioned as potential triggers.
  • Congenital rubella
  • Coxsackie B virus
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
  • Adenovirus
  • Mumps virus
• Cow milk protein - certain unconfirmed theories exist about molecular mimicry between cow milk and pancreas islet cells.

Medical news summaries relating to Type 1 diabetes:

The following medical news items are relevant to causes of Type 1 diabetes:

• Children increasingly face adult diseases
• Diabetes: the simple facts
• Eating disorders can greatly increase the risk of complications in people with type 1 diabetes
• Gene mutation identified in autoimmune conditions
• International research aims to determine if cow's milk increases risk of type 1 diabetes
• Long-term offspring health may be affected by mother's diet during pregnancy
• More and more children are being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes
• New diagnostic technique for pre-diabetes
• Reason for increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes is a mystery
• Therapy to reduce allergies to cats
• More news »

Related information on causes of Type 1 diabetes:

As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Type 1 diabetes may be found in:

• Risk factors for Type 1 diabetes
• Genetics of Type 1 diabetes
• Hidden causes of Type 1 diabetes

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