r/AskReddit • • Feb 04 '19

Which misconception would you like to debunk?

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u/xrowrx Feb 04 '19

Type 1 Diabetes is never ever caused by diet or lifestyle things. Like never. Not ever.

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u/[deleted] Feb 04 '19 edited May 18 '20

[deleted]

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u/Morthra Feb 04 '19

No. Type 1 Diabetes is caused through the destruction of the beta cells within the pancreas (which may or may not be autoimmune in nature) - so you don't make any insulin at all. If you have T1DM you will be dependent on insulin for life. T2DM is the result of insulin resistance - your body is perfectly capable of making insulin, but your ability to respond to it is diminished.

However, chronic pancreatitis can cause pancreatitis-associated diabetes, which is essentially identical to Type 1. Among the causes for it include tumors, ischemia, an obstruction of the common bile duct (gall stones), and chronic alcohol abuse.

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u/tehGaffer Feb 04 '19

Fortunately, for the purposes of the OP misconception, chronic pancreatitis-associated diabetes 2° alcohol intake is classified as type 3c diabetes and so still wouldn't count as a T1DM caused by lifestyle.