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If you or a loved one has type 1 diabetes, you might’ve heard the term “immunocompromised,” especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
There’s a lot of confusing information out there about what conditions fit under the umbrella of immunocompromised, so it’s important to learn the facts to better understand your risk of getting sick.
Read on to learn about immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and how type 1 diabetes affects your immune system.
Your immune system is made up of your skin cells, white blood cells, antibodies, lymph nodes, and other organs and tissues. Together, they identify and destroy bacteria, viruses, and parasites that invade your body and can make you sick.
When your immune system is working the way it’s supposed to, it will respond the first time it sees an invader by causing inflammation. The point of this inflammatory response is to prevent the invader or attacker from getting to other parts of your body.
If one part of your immune system stops working, it can weaken the entire system. This means you’re more likely to be sick often and your illnesses may be more severe and harder to treat. Being immunocompromised means your immune system isn’t able to protect you the way it should.
There are two categories of compromised immune systems: primary and secondary immunodeficiencies. Primary immunodeficiencies are those you are born with, and they’re caused by genetic mutations (gene changes). Secondary immunodeficiencies happen as a result of environmental factors, like a viral infection or chemotherapy treatment.
While immunodeficiency means your immune system is weaker than it should be, autoimmune diseases can be thought of as being the result of an overactive immune system that attacks cells it shouldn’t.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. According to Mayo Clinic, autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes, can be a sign of primary immunodeficiency, though it isn’t always.
Having an autoimmune condition usually means that your immune system is compromised because it often makes you less able to defend against infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with type 1 diabetes may have weaker immune systems than people who do not have the condition. You can think of autoimmune diseases as fitting under the umbrella of being immunocompromised.
According to Yale Medicine, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s no single “immunocompromised state.” In general, if your health condition makes you more vulnerable to infection than people who don’t have the condition, you can think of yourself as immunocompromised.
Type 1 diabetes can affect how well your immune system functions. Below are some examples of the way your diabetes affects your ability to fight off illnesses.
Over time, the effects of diabetes can have an impact on your body’s other systems. Having high blood sugar can trigger inflammation, making your immune system work harder and weakening it in the long run. High blood sugar adds stress to nearly all of your body’s systems, including your white blood cells.
Monitoring your blood sugar is critical, especially if you’re feeling sick. Your blood sugar might become higher than usual when you’re sick because of hormones released as an immune response.
Your blood sugar can also rise as a result of some cold and flu medications. However, your blood sugar levels can also drop when you’re sick because of fever, sweating, and poor appetite.
People with diabetes have been shown to get certain illnesses more often than people without the condition. For example, if you have diabetes, you might be more susceptible to bacterial and fungal skin and mouth infections. You might also develop respiratory tract infections, the flu, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections more often than people who don’t have diabetes.
People with diabetes are not necessarily more likely than those without the condition to contract the flu or COVID-19, but they are at a higher risk of getting severely ill if infected. This is why you might have heard it’s extra important to stay protected from infection if you have an autoimmune condition. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect yourself from becoming severely ill if you do get infected.
You should make sure you’re up to date on your vaccine schedule. Vaccines that are important for people with diabetes include:
One myT1Dteam member wrote: “Tested positive for COVID 😩. Had a difficult night and am feeling very ill this morning. No matter what, I’m thankful to still be alive and kicking. How do you deal with diabetes AND illness?”
It can also take longer for you to heal when you have a cut or another kind of wound. Minor cuts and scrapes can be more serious for someone with diabetes than for someone without the condition.
Taking care of your immune system is extra important when you have an autoimmune condition that puts you at an increased risk of getting sick. Some things you can do to keep your immune system in good shape are:
Protecting your immune system is always important, especially when you have an autoimmune condition like type 1 diabetes.
Talk to your health care provider if you have specific questions about your risk of infection. If you’re living with type 1 diabetes, you may have to think about protecting your immune system more than other people to manage your symptoms. However, you should know that you are not alone.
On myT1Dteam, the social network for people living with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones, more than 3,500 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with those who understand life with type 1 diabetes.
How do you keep your immune system healthy with type 1 diabetes? What advice do you have for others? Share your experiences in a comment below, or post on your Activities page.
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Flaviu Titus Patrascanu, M.D.
is a physician specializing in endocrinology and diabetes, nutritional, and metabolic disorders.
Learn more about him here.
Anika Brahmbhatt
is an undergraduate student at Boston University, where she is pursuing a dual degree in media science and psychology.
Learn more about her here.
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