Insulin Resistance and Juvenile Diabetes, Same or Different?

Introduction

Juvenile diabetes, also known as type 1 diabetes, is a condition where the body produces little or no insulin. The reason for this is that the body’s immune system starts attacking its own insulin-producing cells. This makes juvenile diabetes an irreversible condition as the body is not capable of producing insulin.

Insulin resistance is a different condition where the cells of the body do not respond to inulin as they used to. Here, the insulin-producing cells are active and secreting insulin; however, the cells of the liver, fat, and muscle fail to use the insulin. Individuals with juvenile diabetes may also be affected by insulin resistance.

Causes

Insulin resistance and juvenile diabetes have different causes as follows.

1. Causes of juvenile diabetes

• Juvenile diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction in the body where it starts attacking itself. This type of reaction destroys insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The process goes on for months without producing any symptoms.
• Diet and lifestyle habits do not cause juvenile diabetes.

2. Causes of insulin resistance

Several genetic and lifestyle factors contribute to insulin resistance. The presence of certain genes in the body can increase your risk of insulin resistance. The major causes of insulin resistance are:

• Excess body fat (particularly around the belly)
• Lack of physical exercise
• Diet (processed and high carbohydrate foods)
• Certain medications (e.g., medicines for blood pressure, HIV, and psychological conditions).

Symptoms

Insulin resistance and juvenile diabetes have a lot of common symptoms such as:

• Excessive thirst
• Frequent urge to urinate
• Incessant hunger
• Blurry vision
• Vaginal infections
• Delayed wound healing

In addition to these symptoms, people with juvenile diabetes experience unexplained weight loss, which is not the case with insulin resistance.

Management

One of the key differences between insulin resistance and juvenile diabetes is that the former is reversible. With proper diet, exercise, and precautions, you can reverse insulin resistance. However, juvenile diabetes is an irreversible condition. Let us go through management strategies for both:

Management of Juvenile Diabetes

People with juvenile diabetes require synthetic insulin a number of times every day to allow them to lead a healthy life. The three main components of juvenile diabetes management include:

• Regular blood sugar monitoring
• Insulin
• Counting carbohydrate intake

Currently, there is no cure for juvenile diabetes. Your doctor may prescribe additional precautions and lifestyle changes to aid in your recovery.

Management of Insulin Resistance

Unlike juvenile diabetes, it is possible to reverse insulin resistance and become more insulin-sensitive.

Lifestyle modifications are the primary treatment plan for insulin resistance. These lifestyle modifications include:

• Healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet and avoiding excessive carbohydrates and processed foods are some of the dietary changes you can incorporate into your lifestyle. Unhealthy fats, sugar and red meats should be avoided. Instead, you can add vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and lean poultry to your diet to reverse insulin resistance.
• Physical activity: Regular exercise and physical activity increase muscle insulin sensitivity. You can start with moderate exercise and make changes as you go. A single session of moderate-intensity exercise can help you use the insulin in your body.
• Weight loss: As excessive body fat is one of the causes of insulin resistance, your healthcare provider may recommend losing weight to improve your condition. As per a study, losing 7% of body weight can help increase insulin sensitivity.

With these lifestyle modifications, you can increase your insulin sensitivity and help the cells to utilise insulin.

Conclusion

Juvenile diabetes and insulin resistance have various dissimilarities, with a crucial one being that juvenile diabetes is irreversible.

Insulin resistance can be managed and reversed through lifestyle and diet changes, whereas juvenile diabetes necessitates regular insulin treatment. Familiarising yourself with the signs, symptoms, and causes of these conditions will aid in identifying and distinguishing between them effectively.