How do GAD antibodies affect diabetes?

[Amity Island]

Type 1 diabetes that develops later in life is called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). According to the Diabetes & Metabolism Journal, 2–12 percentTrusted Source of adults with diabetes have LADA.

GAD antibodies belong to a group of diabetes-associated antibodies that instruct the immune system to destroy the insulin-producing pancreatic cells. When insulin production stops, diabetes develops.

As these antibodies target and react with the body’s cells, the medical community refers to them as autoantibodies.

Testing for GAD antibodies helps a doctor diagnose a person with LADA and provide appropriate treatment.

GAD antibodies and diabetes: What's the connection?

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme that helps the body make a neurotransmitter. It is also an antigen that triggers antibodies to attack the cells of the pancreas. If tests show that a person has high levels of GAD antibodies, this can confirm type 1 diabetes. Find out more about GAD...

www.medicalnewstoday.com

 

[mage 1]

Type 1 diabetes that develops later in life is called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). According to the Diabetes & Metabolism Journal, 2–12 percentTrusted Source of adults with diabetes have LADA.

GAD antibodies belong to a group of diabetes-associated antibodies that instruct the immune system to destroy the insulin-producing pancreatic cells. When insulin production stops, diabetes develops.

As these antibodies target and react with the body’s cells, the medical community refers to them as autoantibodies.

Testing for GAD antibodies helps a doctor diagnose a person with LADA and provide appropriate treatment.

GAD antibodies and diabetes: What's the connection?

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is an enzyme that helps the body make a neurotransmitter. It is also an antigen that triggers antibodies to attack the cells of the pancreas. If tests show that a person has high levels of GAD antibodies, this can confirm type 1 diabetes. Find out more about GAD...

www.medicalnewstoday.com

Thank you very interesting

 

[mikeyB]

Thanks, Amity Island, a very clear explanation of what GAD tests are, and why they are done. They weren't around when I was misdiagnosed as T2. They should certainly be used more frequently, as I suspect that some T2s who end up on insulin and are forever labelled as T2 are really LADA, or T1. And excluded from all the monitoring tools available to T1s.

 

[DaveB]

Don't forget that as well as antibodies, viruses can cause the same beta cell damage. I believe they were the cause of my beta cell death and I know someone else who had a liver virus with the same result in the pancreas. This is why as well as GAD tests the C-Peptide is important as it measures beta cell output and not the cause; both are useful.