Causes of Diabetes

It is believed that Type 1 diabetes is caused by destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas (click on pancreas to see where it is in your body), caused by either an inherited trait or some other factor, such as a virus, or both.  As a result of this destruction of beta cells, the pancreas is unable to produce and secrete insulin.

Patients with Type 2 diabetes have a number of factors that result in their condition:
     1.  The patient's pancreas produces insulin, but not enough to meet the body's needs;
     2.  The patient's system may be resistant to insulin;
     3.  The patient's liver may produce too much glucose.
These three main causes, along with other factors, are usually inherited family traits.

Gestational diabetes usually results from a woman's body changing during pregnancy.  However, it is important to note that while this problem usually ends after pregnancy in many of these patients, these women have a 50% risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

"Other specific types" of diabetes result from specific genetic syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses.