Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes Differences: Which Is Worse? (2024)

FAQs

Which is worse, diabetes 1 or diabetes 2? ›

Life expectancy of people who have type 2 diabetes may be reduced by about 10 years while people with type 1 diabetes have worse prognosis of a reduced life expectancy by over 20 years.

In diabetes type 1, the pancreas does not make insulin, because the body's immune system attacks the islet cells in the pancreas that make insulin. In diabetes type 2, the pancreas makes less insulin than used to, and your body becomes resistant to insulin.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, sometimes type 2 diabetes can be treated without taking insulin or other medication to help lower your blood sugar levels. Getting support to being as active as possible, eating healthily and going for regular health checks can help you manage it.

Having a consistently raised glucose level that doesn't cause any symptoms can have damaging effects in the long term. There is also complications that can arise if your insulin is not balanced with your food intake and exercise. Your diabetes team will work with you to manage your insulin correctly.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, foot problems, eye and kidney disease is increased. To reduce your risk of developing other serious health conditions, you may be advised to take other medicines, including: anti-hypertensive medicines to control high blood pressure.

The younger a person who receives a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is, the higher the risk that diabetes-linked complications will shorten their lifespan. However, by adopting effective management strategies, there is a good chance that a person living with type 2 diabetes may live as long as a person without the condition.

There's no cure for diabetes and no way to completely get rid of it. However, diabetes can be reversed in most people. Reversing diabetes means carefully managing blood sugars to a point where medications are no longer necessary, and staying at that manageable point through a healthy routine of diet and exercise.

Most people who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes begin initial treatment with a combination of diet, exercise, and an oral (pill or tablet) medication. Over time, some people will need to add insulin or another injectable medication because their blood sugar levels are not well managed with oral medication.

“I will see that in someone with 0 percent insulin production, they'll begin to fall ill within 12 to 24 hours after their last insulin injection, depending on its duration of effect. Within 24 to 48 hours, they'll be in DKA. Beyond that, mortal outcomes would likely occur within days to perhaps a week or two.

A high HbA1c means you have too much sugar in your blood. Even a slightly high HbA1c increases your risk. But it's not just about blood sugars. High blood pressure, smoking and a lot of fat in your blood (cholesterol) can all damage your blood vessels and put you even more at risk.

Which diabetes is curable? ›

There's no cure yet, but our scientists are working on a ground-breaking weight management study, to help people put their type 2 diabetes into remission. Remission is when blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels are in a normal range again. This doesn't mean diabetes has gone for good.

What is end-stage diabetes? While “end-stage diabetes” isn't a commonly used term, diabetes can lead to what's known as end-stage diabetic complications, or advanced complications. In people with diabetes, advanced complications, like end-stage renal disease, occur after many years of living with diabetes.

The main difference between type 2 and type 1 is that with type 2 your pancreas produces plenty of insulin. Your cells that should use the insulin to transform glucose into energy don't respond to it. This is dangerous, because it leaves changing amounts of the sugar you eat in your blood.

What is type 3 diabetes? “Type 3 diabetes” is a term some people use to describe Alzheimer's disease. Some scientists proposed the term because they believe insulin dysregulation in the brain causes dementia. However, type 3 diabetes is not an officially recognized health condition.

There's no cure for diabetes and no way to completely get rid of it. However, diabetes can be reversed in most people. Reversing diabetes means carefully managing blood sugars to a point where medications are no longer necessary, and staying at that manageable point through a healthy routine of diet and exercise.

Most people who are newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes begin initial treatment with a combination of diet, exercise, and an oral (pill or tablet) medication. Over time, some people will need to add insulin or another injectable medication because their blood sugar levels are not well managed with oral medication.

The strongest evidence we have at the moment suggests that type 2 diabetes is mainly put into remission by weight loss. Remission is more likely if you lose weight as soon as possible after your diabetes diagnosis. However, we do know of people who have put their diabetes into remission decades after diagnosis.

Life expectancy estimates for individuals with type 1 diabetes in these reports ranged from approximately 65 years of age to 72 years of age. The CDC currently estimates the average US life expectancy is 76.1 years, the lowest figure since 1996.