Diabetes: A Young Person's Disease?

Diabetes: A Young Person’s Disease?

In today’s world, scientists and doctors worldwide continue to study diabetes, as the problem remains more relevant than ever. Statistics show that one in ten people globally suffer from this disease. Significant attention is given to type 1 diabetes, which affects individuals in their most active and productive years—under 30. Despite the vast amount of information available in the media, books, and online, numerous misconceptions and myths persist. While some of these are harmless and amusing, others can pose serious health risks.

Common Myths About Type 1 Diabetes

We have gathered the most common myths about type 1 diabetes, often referred to as “young diabetes,” and attempted to separate fact from fiction.

Myth One: Type 1 Diabetes is a Childhood Disease

Type 1 diabetes exclusively affects children under the age of 10-12. If you haven’t developed diabetes by this age, you are no longer at risk.

In reality, type 1 diabetes is diagnosed in about half of the cases in children under 10-12 years old, but the other half occurs in later years—from 14 to 30. This is why this type of diabetes is often called “juvenile” or “young diabetes.” In the Republic of Belarus, around 20,000 people currently have type 1 diabetes, with 10% being children. The number of cases increases by 3-7% each year.

Myth Two: Sweets Are to Blame

The main cause of diabetes is excessive sugar consumption. If you stop eating sweets, you won’t get diabetes.

This statement holds some truth for type 2 diabetes, which develops later in life and is largely dependent on lifestyle and diet. However, type 1 diabetes is more complex. Despite numerous studies, the exact causes of this disease are unknown, but it is certainly not due to sweets.

Genetic predisposition plays a significant role. For example, if one parent has type 1 diabetes, the risk of the child developing the disease increases by 10% compared to children with healthy parents. If both parents have diabetes, the risk increases by 30-40%. An interesting pattern has been observed: the younger the age at which a child develops diabetes, the higher the probability that close relatives will also develop the disease.

External factors also influence the development of diabetes. Often, the onset of symptoms is preceded by viral infections (such as rubella, chickenpox, herpes, viral hepatitis), severe stress, certain medications, or poisoning. Given the appropriate genetic background, any of these factors can trigger an autoimmune process where the body’s immune cells begin to attack the pancreas, mistaking it for foreign tissue. The structures responsible for insulin production are the most vulnerable to such attacks.

Myth Three: Diabetes is an Invisible Disease

Diabetes has no pronounced symptoms. You can have diabetes for years without knowing it.

While the symptoms of diabetes may not be as obvious as those of many other diseases, they are rarely unnoticed. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes may include:

Excessive thirst
Constant hunger
Frequent urination, especially at night
Weight loss despite constant hunger and increased food intake
Itchy skin
Slow-healing ulcers and wounds on the skin or mucous membranes
Fatigue, even to the point of constant exhaustion, and weakness

These symptoms usually appear suddenly, even when everything seems fine. Sometimes, the disease begins with loss of consciousness and diabetic coma. The appearance of even a few of these symptoms is a reason to see a doctor. Diagnosing diabetes is simple and can be done at any clinic. In most cases, a blood and urine glucose test, along with a consultation with an endocrinologist, is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis.

Myth Four: Treatment Without Insulin

There are methods to cure diabetes without constant insulin injections, such as special diets, homeopathy, meditation, and specific physical exercises.

This is the most dangerous misconception! Currently, there are no methods to restore pancreatic cells or replace insulin. Unfortunately, television programs and the internet regularly feature reports on new “revolutionary” methods and drugs, but these can do more harm than good. Only insulin therapy can restore normal well-being and prevent the development of serious complications.

The most common complications of type 1 diabetes include damage to the retina, kidneys, nerve fibers, and blood vessels in the legs, heart, and brain.

Treatment for type 1 diabetes always begins in the hospital. This is a crucial stage where the diagnosis is confirmed, the type and necessary dosage of insulin are selected, and the administration regimen is determined. Many clinics and hospitals have “Diabetes Schools” where patients are taught how to administer injections, control blood sugar levels, monitor their health, and prevent complications.

Often, after a few weeks of treatment, the patient’s condition improves significantly, metabolism normalizes, and the need for insulin decreases. This period is called the remission phase or “honeymoon phase.” During this time, the number of injections and insulin doses are usually reduced. The earlier type 1 diabetes is detected and treatment begins, the longer the remission phase will last. It typically lasts from several months to one or two years.

Myth Five: Life Without Pleasures

If you have diabetes, you can forget about enjoying food, entertainment, sports, a successful career, and family.

The best refutation of this myth is the biography of the famous Hollywood actress Halle Berry. At the age of 23, during filming, she fell into a coma and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. However, this did not prevent the young actress from achieving success, starring in several dozen films, becoming the first African American to win an Oscar, and having two beautiful children. Halle Berry’s story should serve as an example for everyone who is just beginning to live with the disease.

On the basis of the City Endocrinology Dispensary in Minsk, there is a “Diabetes School.” Classes are conducted by endocrinologists from the dispensary.

Undoubtedly, a person’s life changes completely after being diagnosed with diabetes. Now, every day and every action must be planned considering insulin therapy.

Fortunately, today there are long-acting insulins that need to be administered only 1-2 times a day, as well as special devices (insulin pens, insulin pumps) that make injections less painful and unpleasant. There are also glucometers for independent monitoring of the disease.

For more information, you can visit the American Diabetes Association.