July 21, 2025

The Hidden Diabetes Epidemic – Meet Type 5 - AI Podcast

8 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognized form of diabetes caused by lifelong malnutrition that damages the pancreas and prevents it from making enough insulin
This condition affects lean individuals, typically young men with a BMI under 19, who have no excess fat, no autoimmune markers and no signs of insulin resistance, but still have dangerously high blood sugar
Because it doesn't fit the standard profiles for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, Type 5 is often misdiagnosed and mistreated, leading to severe complications or death
Metabolic studies show these patients absorb sugar efficiently and respond to insulin well, but their pancreas cannot produce enough of it due to early protein deficiency
Addressing the root causes, like poor mitochondrial health, toxin exposure, and low carb tolerance, helps improve insulin production and blood sugar regulation, especially for the more common Type 2 diabetes

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14871,487 ratings

July 21, 2025

8 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Type 5 diabetes is a newly recognized form of diabetes caused by lifelong malnutrition that damages the pancreas and prevents it from making enough insulin
This condition affects lean individuals, typically young men with a BMI under 19, who have no excess fat, no autoimmune markers and no signs of insulin resistance, but still have dangerously high blood sugar
Because it doesn't fit the standard profiles for Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, Type 5 is often misdiagnosed and mistreated, leading to severe complications or death
Metabolic studies show these patients absorb sugar efficiently and respond to insulin well, but their pancreas cannot produce enough of it due to early protein deficiency
Addressing the root causes, like poor mitochondrial health, toxin exposure, and low carb tolerance, helps improve insulin production and blood sugar regulation, especially for the more common Type 2 diabetes

...more