Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
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Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
Everyday Health
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Updated on November 12, 2024
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Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

Learn about the warning signs of type 1 diabetes and diabetic ketoacidosis.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

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Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition where the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, which results in high blood glucose levels. High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, can lead to a range of symptoms and complications that can be severe in people with this condition.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to insulin resistance, type 1 diabetes typically is diagnosed in children and young adults. But it can develop in people of any age, and it requires daily management with insulin therapy and blood sugar monitoring.

Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes

Glucose is the main source of energy for the cells in your body, but cells can’t use it without the hormone insulin. In type 1 diabetes, a person’s immune system wrongly attacks its insulin-producing cells (called beta cells), leading to insufficient insulin.

Without insulin, your cells don’t have their main energy source, so your body will feel depleted and will try to get its energy from somewhere else. Type 1 diabetes symptoms usually develop within a few weeks or months, and they can be quite severe.

 The typical type 1 diabetes symptoms are:

  • Constant hunger, thirst, or both
  • Frequent urination, especially at night (or bed-wetting in children)
  • Sudden, unintentional weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Sudden changes to or blurred vision
  • Cuts or bruises that take a long time to heal
  • Dry, itchy skin
You don’t need to have all these symptoms to have type 1 diabetes, and some people don't develop any symptoms at all.

 The best way to know for sure if you have the disease is to get a blood glucose test from your healthcare provider.
Illustrative graphic titled How Type 1 Diabetes Affects the Body shows fatigue, thirsty, frequent urination, wounds slow to heal, dry itchy skin, unintentional weight loss, very hungry and blurry vision. Everyday Health logo
Type 1 diabetes can cause any or all of these symptoms.Everyday Health

Potential Complications of Type 1 Diabetes

If left untreated, type 1 diabetes can have both short- and long-term, serious complications.

Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious medical problem that happens when the body lacks insulin to process blood sugar for energy. When your body can’t use its glucose, it breaks down fat instead. The by-products of this process are called ketones. When too many ketones quickly build up in the bloodstream, your blood becomes dangerously acidic.

DKA is a medical emergency that needs to be treated right away. Without prompt care, people with type 1 diabetes may go into a coma or even die. Signs and symptoms of DKA include:

  • A fruity smell on the breath
  • Dry or flushed skin
  • Nausea and stomach pain
  • Rapid breathing
  • Decreased alertness
  • Dehydration
  • Muscle stiffness
The symptoms of DKA may be the first ones that a person with type 1 diabetes will experience before they are diagnosed.

Long-Term Complications of Type 1 Diabetes

Untreated diabetes can cause a host of complications, but they can be avoided with proper care and treatment. Overly high blood glucose levels over an extended period of time can lead to:

  • Cardiovascular complications, such as heart disease or stroke
  • Nerve damage (also called neuropathy)
  • Kidney damage (also called nephropathy)
  • Eye damage that may result in poor vision or blindness
  • Lower-limb amputations due to skin ulcers that won’t heal

When to See a Doctor

Early detection of type 1 diabetes is essential for preventing complications. If you have a family history of the disease or if you or your child develops any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, see a healthcare professional right away for a blood test to check for blood sugar levels and antibodies associated with type 1 diabetes.

The Takeaway

  • Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder often diagnosed in children or young adults. It causes the body to stop making enough insulin to keep blood sugar at healthy levels.
  • This health condition can cause symptoms such as constant hunger and thirst, fatigue, and sudden changes in vision. These problems can come on quickly and become severe.
  • Complications from type 1 diabetes can be life-threatening. But with proper care, they may be delayed or avoided.

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Anna L. Goldman, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Anna L. Goldman, MD, is a board-certified endocrinologist. She teaches first year medical students at Harvard Medical School and practices general endocrinology in Boston.

Dr. Goldman attended college at Wesleyan University and then completed her residency at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, where she was also a chief resident. She moved to Boston to do her fellowship in endocrinology at Brigham and Women's Hospital. She joined the faculty after graduation and served as the associate program director for the fellowship program for a number of years.

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Ana Sandoiu

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Ana is a freelance medical copywriter, editor, and health journalist with a decade of experience in content creation. She loves to dive deep into the research and emerge with engaging and informative content everyone can understand. Her strength is combining scientific rigor with empathy and sensitivity, using conscious, people-first language without compromising accuracy.

Previously, she worked as a news editor for Medical News Today and Healthline Media. Her work as a health journalist has reached millions of readers, and her in-depth reporting has been cited in multiple peer-reviewed journals. As a medical copywriter, Ana has worked with award-winning digital agencies to implement marketing strategies for high-profile stakeholders. She’s passionate about health equity journalism, having conceived, written, and edited features that expose health disparities related to race, gender, and other social determinants of health.

Outside of work, she loves dancing, taking analog photos, and binge-watching all the RuPaul’s Drag Race franchises.

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Resources
  1. Type 1 Diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  2. Type 1 Diabetes. Cleveland Clinic. March 9, 2022.
  3. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th Edition. International Diabetes Federation. 2021.
  4. Symptoms of Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 15, 2024.
  5. Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes. BreakthroughT1D.
  6. Diabetic Ketoacidosis. MedlinePlus. February 10, 2023.
  7. Understanding Type 1 Diabetes. American Diabetes Association.
  8. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 10th Edition. International Diabetes Federation. 2021.
  9. Type 1 Diabetes: Breakthrough T1D Early Detection. BreakthroughTD1.