January 7, 2007
Research: Causes and Prevention
Question from Jacksonville, Florida, USA:
I know this may be a crazy question, but I have to ask. I have type 1 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that I must take to regulate my sugar because my body is now unable to do this. Is it possible that diabetes is a hormonal imbalance? I’m not too familiar with gestational diabetes, but could a mother get this because her hormones were going crazy during pregnancy and, once over, her body has regulated itself again? I ask this because before I was diagnosed, I was on birth control pills. I had to get off them because they were making me feel horrible. Could I somehow of developed an imbalance? Is it possible for a type 1 diabetic to become pregnant and the body to regulate itself again? I know with current research this is a question way out in left field, but if you look at diabetes from a hormonal prospective, is it not possible?
Answer:
I want to make sure I answer your question. If you are asking whether diabetes could be caused by the change in estrogen and progesterone levels, the answer to that would be no. Type 1 diabetes results from an absolute deficiency of insulin brought on by destruction of the beta cells in the pancreas.
JTL
