Doctors now know that people of any age can develop type I diabetes, although the majority of cases are discovered in people under 20 years of age. Type I diabetes is due to a deficiency or failure of the pancreas to secrete insulin. People with type I diabetes are vulnerable to dangerous short-term complications of the disease. I diabetes also are at particular risk of ketoacidosis-a dangerous buildup of toxic acids in the body. I diabetes is an autoimmune disease.
Many experts believe that it is genetically programmed.
In case of an autoimmune disease the body's immune system attacks itself. Inside the pancreas are approximately 100,000 cell clusters known as the islets. Each of these islets may contain 1,000 to 2,000 beta cells. When blood- glucose levels rise, the beta cells manufacture insulin and release it into the bloodstream. In people with type-I diabetes, the beta cells are attacked by the immune system and are slowly destroyed.