T1D is caused by a combination of genes and environmental factors such as viruses. It typically occurs in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. Although having a parent or sibling with the disease increases your risk, 90 percent of people with T1D have no family history. Your risk is also higher if you have any other autoimmune conditions, such as celiac disease, Hashimoto’s disease, and others, or if these conditions run in your family.2–5
Symptoms of T1D include6:
These symptoms can come on quite quickly and require immediate medical care. About 30 to 60 percent of the time, people develop a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). It occurs when your body doesn’t have enough insulin to allow blood sugar into your cells for use as energy. Instead, your liver breaks down muscle and fat for fuel, which produces acids called ketones. When too many ketones are produced too fast, they can build up to dangerous levels in your body.7
Symptoms of DKA include7:
An episode of DKA early in the disease can lead to8:
All of this increases the risk of diabetes-related complications like heart disease, kidney disease, and eye diseases.8
