Not Just Type 1 or Type 2: What Every Woman Should Know About the 8 Types of Diabetes
Learn why early intervention is so important—not just for those with type 1 or type 2
While nearly 40 million people in the US suffer from diabetes, some 8.7 million of them don’t even know they have the condition, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Adding to the challenge is the fact that there are many types of diabetes that people don’t even know to look out for—it’s not just type 1 and type 2. Keep reading to learn how many types of diabetes there are and how to prevent or better manage the disease.
What happens if you have high blood sugar?
Even if you don’t think you’re at risk for diabetes and its related health problems, it’s still important to have this information on your radar. Just like blood pressure and cholesterol, blood sugar is a powerful medical marker when it comes to overall health. “Blood sugar affects nearly every system in the body. Highs and lows can leave you tired, irritable, foggy, even depressed,” says endocrinologist Hayley Miller, MD, Medical Director of Nurx Weight Management, who has type 1 diabetes herself.
“Short-term fluctuations in blood glucose can trigger oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction, which contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease,” she explains. “Long-term, high blood sugars can damage the eyes, kidneys and nerves.”
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And blood sugar is particularly important for women to manage. Dr. Miller says, “Diabetes also seems to have more harmful effects on women’s heart health than men’s.”
Meet the 8 different types of diabetes
There are three primary types of diabetes recognized by the ADA, and several other lesser-known types. To learn more, ask your doctor for routine blood tests that can detect diabetes, such as a fasting blood glucose test and an A1C test, which measures your blood sugar average over three months.
Type 1 diabetes
This is also called juvenile diabetes because it often strikes in children and young adults. This type is an autoimmune condition where the body attacks the pancreas, dramatically limiting or entirely wiping out naturally-made insulin from our system. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are required to take insulin for life. The condition affects around 2 million people in the US.
Signs of T1D include extreme thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, unexplained weight loss, dry skin and slow wound healing.
And while this is a chronic condition with no cure, many people with type 1 diabetes are achieving better blood sugar regulation by wearing a continuous glucose monitor. This device, now available over the counter, checks blood-sugar levels around the clock so you can easily micromanage spikes and dips to feel your best.
Type 2 diabetes
This is one of the most common types of diabetes. Around 29.2 percent of adults over the age of 65 have type 2 diabetes (T2D), says the ADA. T2D is primarily caused by insulin resistance—a condition where the body still produces insulin, but the cells do not respond to it effectively. This leads to elevated blood glucose levels. Important to note: Obesity is a major risk factor for developing insulin resistance and T2D.
Type 2 diabetics have a fasting blood glucose level of more than 126 mg/dL. (Normal is below 100.) And their A1C level is more than 6.5 percent. (Normal is below 5.7.)
Symptoms in women include chronic fatigue, worsening menopause symptoms and frequent UTIs.
The good news: Type 2 diabetes can often be managed with lifestyle changes. Many people have success eating a low-carb diet to keep sugar intake low. Sometimes medication, including insulin, is needed. And of course, GLP-1 meds such as Ozempic are changing the game when it comes to blood-sugar maintenance.
Gestational diabetes
Anyone pregnant has likely heard of gestational diabetes. This temporary condition can be triggered by pregnancy hormones. Universal screening at 24 to 28 weeks is standard in many countries, but not everywhere. And while it often resolves after pregnancy, it does put women for later issues. About 50 percent of women with gestational diabetes will develop prediabetes or diabetes within five to 10 years. And the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women who have had gestational diabetes is about seven to 10-fold and remains elevated for decades.
Experts recommend eating a healthy diet that’s low in sugar and getting enough movement to help the body’s muscles properly burn blood sugar so it isn’t stored.
Prediabetes
This type of diabetes is growing in all age groups, and currently affects 97.6 million people over the age of 18. Consider this an alarm bell, informing you of elevated blood sugar levels that haven’t reached type 2 diabetes status yet. Prediabetes is recognized as fasting blood sugar levels of 100 to 125 mg/dL and an A1C reading of 5.7 to 6.4.
It is so important to nip prediabetes in the bud early that some doctors are even pointing out when patients have what they call “pre-pre-diabetes.” This means their blood sugar levels are still technically in the normal range but rising. “Subtle upward trends can signal that the body is starting to struggle with glucose regulation,” says Soma Mandal, MD, a board-certified internist and women’s health specialist who treats patients with diabetes. “For women, this is a critical window of opportunity.”
What to do? “Early lifestyle changes—like increasing physical activity, improving nutrition and managing stress—can dramatically reduce the risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes,” she says. “Intervening at this stage can also help prevent complications such as heart disease and protect long-term metabolic health.”
Type 1.5 diabetes
Type 1.5 is a new kid on the diabetes block that mimics type 1, but occurs in adulthood. (It is also known as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or LADA.) It is seen as an autoimmune disease where a person’s pancreas slowly loses its ability to create insulin for the body. The condition has a slow progression but is believed not to have a cure. As a result, patients gradually become insulin dependent.
It’s important to note that diagnoses are often missed when it comes to this newly-designated type 1.5. Peter Brukner, MD, of the Defeat Diabetes program, explains, “Almost 30 to 40 percent of people with type 1.5 diabetes are initially incorrectly diagnosed as type 2.”
In fact, former NSYNC singer Lance Bass made headlines last year by sharing he had initially been told he had type 2 diabetes, but then shared in a social media post, “Plot twist: I have type 1.5 diabetes!”
Type 3 diabetes
This isn’t an official medical term, but type 3 diabetes is how many researchers have started to describe Alzheimer’s disease that is linked to insulin resistance.
“While it’s not an official diagnosis, there is growing evidence that women, who are at higher risk for Alzheimer’s, should pay close attention to their metabolic health,” says Dr. Mandal. “Signs like memory changes, difficulty concentrating or confusion, especially in midlife, should not be ignored.”
She advises: “Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels through diet, exercise and regular checkups may help protect both brain and body as we age.”
Type 4 diabetes
Emerging research suggests there is a type 4 diabetes, triggered by age-related chronic inflammation rather than the traditional signs of obesity and insulin issues. “For women, especially after menopause, inflammation can increase due to hormonal changes. Staying active, eating an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fats and keeping up with regular screenings can help reduce risk,” advises Dr. Mandal. “It’s important to recognize that diabetes can develop even in those who are not overweight.”
Type 5 diabetes
And that brings us to the last one on the list: Type 5 is a rare form of diabetes, often linked to malnutrition in early life. One researcher called it type J diabetes after studying it in patients in Jamaica. Again, this is not an official diagnosis, but the International Diabetes Federation recently chose to adopt the name of type 5 diabetes. And a collection of international scientists publishing in The Lancet Global Health journal has asked the World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize this new type too.
“While type 5 diabetes is more common in regions with food insecurity, it’s a reminder that nutrition in early life has lifelong consequences,” says Dr. Mandal. “For women, especially those planning families, ensuring adequate nutrition during pregnancy and childhood is crucial for preventing this and other metabolic disorders in the next generation.”
Why early intervention helps in all types of diabetes
So now you’ve been formally introduced to the eight different types of diabetes. And this type of health knowledge is power. “When our blood sugar is within a normal range, we not only feel better, but we also significantly reduce our risk of health complications,” says Dr. Miller. “Early intervention to effectively lower blood sugar levels allows us to achieve remission [in some cases] and potentially prevent the onset of diabetes altogether. This reduces stress on our bodies, enabling us to lead healthier, more balanced lives.”
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