Type 1.5 diabetes, also called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), is a condition that shares characteristics of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
LADA is diagnosed during adulthood, and it sets in gradually, like type 2 diabetes. But unlike type 2 diabetes, LADA is an autoimmune disease and isn’t reversible with changes in diet and lifestyle.
Your beta cells stop functioning much more quickly if you have type 1.5 diabetes than if you have type 2. It’s estimated that 10 percentTrusted Source of people who have diabetes have LADA.
Type 1.5 diabetes can easily be — and is often — misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes. If you’re in a healthy weight range, have an active lifestyle, and have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there’s a chance that what you actually have is LADA.
Type 1.5 diabetes symptoms
Type 1.5 diabetes symptoms can be vague at first. They may include:
frequent thirst
increased urination, including at night
unexplained weight loss
blurred vision and tingling nerves
If left untreated, type 1.5 diabetes can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a condition where the body can’t utilize sugar as fuel due to the absence of insulin and starts burning fat. This produces ketones, which are toxic for the body.
Type 1.5 diabetes causes
To understand what causes type 1.5 diabetes, it helps to understand the difference between the other main types of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is considered an autoimmune condition because it’s the result of your body destroying pancreatic beta cells. These cells are what helps your body make insulin, the hormone that allows you to store glucose (sugar) in your body. People who have type 1 diabetes need to inject insulin into their bodies to survive.
Type 2 diabetes is primarily characterized by your body resisting insulin’s effects. Insulin resistance is caused by genetic and environmental factors, such as a diet high in carbohydrates, inactivity, and obesity. Type 2 diabetes can be managed with lifestyle interventions and oral medication, but many may also need insulin to keep their blood sugar under control.
Type 1.5 diabetes can be triggered by damage done to your pancreas from antibodies against insulin-producing cells. Genetic factors may also be involved, such as a family history of autoimmune conditions. When the pancreas becomes damaged in type 1.5 diabetes, the body destroys pancreatic beta cells, as with type 1. If the person with type 1.5 diabetes also happens to be overweight or obese, insulin resistance might also be present.