• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Links with type 1 diagnosis, gut bacteria and the immune system

Juicyj

Expert
Retired Moderator
Messages
9,267
Location
Worcestershire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Dislikes
Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
I read an interesting article recently about Cancer Scientist - Mel Greaves who's been working over the last 30 years in the field of children and leukaemia and has recently been knighted for his work. In the article it discusses the role of the immune system and impact of gut microbes on the immunity. As the number of type 1's being diagnosed is increasing year on year, it does raise the question on the relevance of type 1 diagnosis is in regards to gut microbes and immunity, I remember discussing this with a type 1 specialist at Bristol Hospital years ago who had attended a seminar which discussed the link between 'sterile' living and immunity in the modern age, the point was that if we don't come into regular contact with germs then our bodies are being rendered inefficient at dealing with an immune attack which could trigger type 1. There are of course other factors including previous illnesses as well as breast feeding and in this respect they all seem to be inter linked.

https://www.theguardian.com/science...JSx6LYEuEQv02kiIoOXMm0tKTkl1MlDvHpkI6ZX-cVOx8

I know this isn't a new topic however Mel Greaves work could have benefits for type 1 diabetes also and if he is successful in creating the right 'microbe' drink to help boost immunity then this could have positive benefits in reducing the incidence of type 1 diagnosis.
 
Hi Juicy, a very interesting read. I wonder how it equates to being diagnosed when you're getting on a bit...ok...a lot, say 50 odd! I recall as a child of the 60's running around all over the place and coming into contact with who knows how many germs! I'm not sure about the average age type 1 is diagnosed but what he writes certainly sounds credible.
 
Hi @KK123 I was diagnosed aged 38 and have always been curious as to why I got this diagnosis, I had a bad bout of flu when pregnant and was bed ridden for a week, but other than that have always been healthy. It's always been a thought in my head that our homes and lives are pretty sterile environments so our bodies don't have the ammunition to fight immune attacks.
 
30 years ago, just before I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had suspected Colitis, I did feel very ill at the time. After that, I was diagnosed with type 1.
 

I grew up climbing trees, swinging on ropes over ponds, cherry picking, rhubarb picking too,snail racing lol,roller skating, out in all weather's, playing by river's and then eating packed lunches and fizzy pop, all sorts of everyday growing up in the 1970's, i loved it and have great memories.
 
Me too, Robinredbresat! Growing in the countryside was really a blessing, probably the greatest I've ever experienced. I'm happy there's someone out there who can relate, and I'm happy you had wonderful childhood years as well!
 
Hi @Robinredbreast Same here, swinging through trees, jumping in streams, building dens in haystacks, racing my bike up and down the road, roller skating, would only come home when it got dark, obviously I don't do any of that so much any more, i'd get told off !! but have always been into the outdoors. I know I can't of course change what's happened but it does lead me to think that if we had super charged immune systems then would it of made any difference to our outcomes.
 
My childhood was in a poor area of the country and it was all too common to find myself in contact with all types of germs, from the bomb sites, football or grassed areas, the sand on the riverbank, which of course was polluted by direct discharge from the sewers and the waste from ships.
Who knows what I picked up then!
Then through my working life, all the industrial wastage, oils, coating, paints, grease, breathing all kinds of toxic chemicals that associate with building motor vehicles.
Was it any wonder, I had stomach problems?
The likelihood of my diet and the environment I lived and breathed, my gut bacteria was not as it should be (helicobactor pylori) and from there a condition that has altered my hormonal response to food. (Too much insulin) and reactive hypoglycaemia!
My belief that your gut bacteria is the most important part of how your body develops through life, and the impact it has on your health.
 
Bic said:
Me too, Robinredbresat! Growing in the countryside was really a blessing, probably the greatest I've ever experienced. I'm happy there's someone out there who can relate, and I'm happy you had wonderful childhood years as well!
Click to expand...

Yes, many happy memories thank you @Bic When we moved to Hampshire from London, and it was countryside to us, a market town, but it has grown so much over the years. I remember us going to an old ruin, it was on Time Team and a few of us would crawl through the tunnel ( it used to be open then, but it has a grate there now and it's locked), We used to cycle down to the river, play in it, and the field opposite had cow's in it too. If my dad took me and my sister, we would take my dog Patch with us and he was always in the river. I remember losing a flip flop in the river too, ooops lol I also remember making a camp under the tree's and clearing the area with a branch so lots of dirt and bugs about also lots of exploring and getting up to things, but nothing too bad
 

There is just 13 months between me and my sister, yet I was the one who was diagnosed with type 1. I think our lives are often mapped out for us when we are born.
 
I think it may be challenging to find out the average age of type 1 diagnosis and whether this has changed.
Type 1 has always been considered a "childhood disease" and used to be called Juvenile Diabetes. However, a few years ago I read an article which explained more than 50% of people with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed aged 20 or above.
Unfortunately, the myth of type 1 being more commonly diagnosed in children has still not been busted, even amongst doctors. As a result, many adults are still misdiagnosed with type 2 but, hopefully, the message is getting through, albeit slowly.
So are more adults getting type 1 now than in the past or are they being more accurately diagnosed in the first place? Who knows?
 

...and isn't that a shame that we can't do all that now!
 

Sounds idyllic! We grew up in a busy city but still found fields to wander and rivers to wade through. When I think back I wonder how we survived at all, when my own children were born I became too nervous to let them out of my sight until they were well into secondary school. x
 
I grew up in a market town as well, we were playing in fields, forests and by a small river. My grandparents had a farm, we only ever ate homegrown veggies, fruits and my parents had a butcher business. Happy days.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…