I’m pretty sure that type 1 is not hereditary, and if anything type 2 would be more in someones genetics. And my endocrinologist told me that it wasn’t. But in two of the courses i took this year at school, they both said that type 1 is genetic. And my friend also took a class that said that type 1 is genetic. I really don’t think it is. And i was just wondering what others have heard on the topic…
I thought both had genetic roots, although I haven’t heard of any of my relatives having had it.
The ADA claims that patients who have T1 and T2 were genetically predisposed to getting the disease and that something triggered it. If you want to read more, here’s the URL:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/genetics-of-diabetes.html
It is hereditary according to my family tree. I didn’t “hear” or read that anywhere, it just is a simple fact.
I dont think its hereditary, in some cases I might believe it since I know a man who has type 1 and 2 of his three children got it. but for me Im the only one in my entire family who has it. I think the evidence needs to be studied more.
I think it’s definitely in the genes. Though as to which side of the family (I strongly suspect my father’s mother’s side, as they were Finns and there is a high rate of T1 in Finland) passed it down to me, don’t know. No one I know of on either side has had it, but then in the old days people really didn’t discuss their health problems very much (if at all outside of their doctor’s office).
I understand that it CAN be genetic/hereditary. Some families have a tendency to it, others are just one offs. I have a friend whose husband was type 1, and two of her daughters are.
I am type one and one of three insulin sensitive diabetics in the family tree ( 1 first cousn is LADA. a 2nd cousin is type 1). However, type two is the more prevalent… I cannot tell you how many type twos there are, more than 6 or 7 among aunts, uncles and cousins. No diabetics in my immediate family.
All however, of my diabetic relatives are on my biological father’s side of the family, none at all on my mother’s side.
Another query; Is it true that type ones are more likely to inheirit the disease from the father than the mother?I know several type one women who have chldren, and none of their kids have diabetes. However, I have heard of members of Tu diabetes whose mother does have type one. I just have never met a type one mother with diabetic kids. I have met type one fathers with type one kids, though.
God Bless,
Brunetta
I think the genetic predisposition to T1 is well-established. Keep in mind that the term “type 1 diabetes” encompasses quite a few different conditions. A few (types of MODY) are completely genetic. But environmental factors also come into play because there are instances where, in a set of identical twins, only one twin develops diabetes (identical twins have the same genome). In my family, we have quite a bit of T1 and T2 (although I suspect some of these T2s are actually adult-onset T1s), all on my father’s side. Note that children of T1 fathers have a higher risk of developing the condition compared to children of T1 mothers (10 percent vs 4 percent, respectively).
That’s the big question. Scientists have been going back and forth over the years on whether Type 1 is genetic or environmental. Thus why it’s so difficult to cure it. There are many theories for Type 1. Some believe it was a vitamin D deficiency. Others a response to a batch of vaccines. Others a virus that too over our bodies. Maybe our genes caused us to have low immune systems which made us susceptible to Type 1, then some outside influence triggered it.
Maybe my entire bloodline on both sides carried the genes for Type 1, but it didnt come out until I was in my childhood. If it is entirely genetic, then it’s been hiding in my family genes for centuries without anyone knowing about it.
I have read that genetics can play a small part in Type 1. My grandmother was diabetic and took insulin – she died in 1965 and I don’t know if they typed people then nor do I even have a guess as to which type she was. She had one T1 daughter and one T2 daughter. Her Type 2 daughter had a T1 son (my cousin). I am T1 and also have a T2 brother. There are 6 that I know of and I have no clue about my grandmother’s brothers & sisters or any of their kids.
Yeah same with me. I am literally the only one to have diabetes even in my extended family…theres not even any cases of type 2.
I have heard this in all of my biology and genetics classes as well. I believe that the disposition to develop T1 is genetic, since the autoimmunity results from the genetic markers you inherit from your parents. There are HLA alleles that are considered diabetic risk factors, the more you have, the more likely your immune system is to recognize it when it mounts a response against the trigger. That being said, if you are genetically predisposed, and you are lucky enough never to experience the environmental trigger that sets off the immune response (some think it’s a coxsackie virus, pretty common in nature) you could theoretically never develop T1 even though you inherited the disposition for it.
I have a hard time personally believing at least some of T1 isn’t genetic, since my grandfather, father, and myself have developed T1.
The latest studies I’ve read are saying there is a genetic factor, but there also has to be an environmental trigger. Some people will carry the genes but never come across the environmental trigger or triggers (as in identical twins where only 1 twin develops it).
I have heard that both can be genetic. Type 2 just happens to have a stronger genetic link.
How can it be argued that it’s NOT, when some people are one of MANY in their family who are Type 1 diabetic???
I have it in my family.
I have a friend who’s mother and sister also have it.
I know of a blogger who has 4 kids…3 of whom have type 1.
I don’t see how anyone can argue it’s NOT genetic, at least to some degree.
Can someone please explain the difference between “hereditary” and “genetic” (if there is one)? My wife and I have this disagreement all the time. In my mind, “hereditary” is a trait that is likely to be passed down; a susceptibility to a particular condition (i.e. high blood pressure, baldness, height/weight/build when full-grown) while “genetic” means there are specific genes or chromosomes that absolutely can dictate a person’s characteristic (i.e. hair color, eye color, Down’s syndrome). Am I wrong?
You don’t necessarily have to differentiate the two terms, they can both be used to describe the same thing depending on what you’re talking about. I think of it this way, there are two types of traits: hereditary and non-hereditary. Hereditary traits are generally genetic, i.e. they are passed down to offspring via the genes that are responsible for them. A non-heritable trait is generally also non-genetic, ex: you get a tan skin trait from spending the day at the beach, but if you happen to conceive a child immediately after, your child will not have the same tan skin as you at that moment.
Hereditary traits are absolutely passed down (but not necessarily expressed as each offspring has two different copies of that gene one from each parent which brings up discussions of dominant vs recessive genes…), but non-heritable traits also exist.
Your skin tone may have a genetic basis i.e. some people tan more easily than others and that is heritable, but the actual state of being tan is not genetic or heritable. Genetics are never absolute, mutations can happen at any point between the gene being in your body and it being passed to a child, as well as your partner’s genes which could override yours in your child or cause your latent trait to be show up in your child if your partner has a recessive gene. It can get pretty crazy!
In the case of diabetes as an illness, you can’t classify it the same way as say, developing the flu. The flu has a non-genetic, non-heritable cause–a virus–whereas there is no diabetes virus and somebody who isn’t predisposed to diabetes probably will not develop diabetes.
Apologies if this was a longer reply than you wanted and I hope that makes sense, it did in my head since I’m studying biology and I tried my best to explain it in text, lol. 
Yes, it has a genetic component but needs an environmental trigger. 50 percent of identical twins will get Type 1 if their twin has it; so it is not strongly genetic.
I’ve had type I 40 years, elder sister (ten years older) had since 1948 and Mom has Celiac.
Something is sure genetic!!
Hereditary does play a factor in both T-1 & T-2. My mother is T-1 and have a few T-1s on my father’s side plus many with other autoimmune Endocrine issues. T-2 is highly genetic, but with both there are other factors that can come into play. Check out this link for a good breakdown http://www.joslin.org/info/genetics_and_diabetes.html