
When we eat, our body turns carbohydrates into glucose (or sugar) that our cells need for energy. However, the cells are “locked” and they need a key to open them before they can use glucose. Insulin acts as that key. It unlocks the cells, glucose enters, and the cells turn the glucose into energy.

In Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells (called islet cells) in the pancreas. Insulin production stops, and there is no insulin to unlock the cells. The result is that glucose builds up in the blood (high blood sugar) and the cells don’t get the glucose they need to function. To manage type 1 diabetes, insulin must be given from outside of the body via injection or through an insulin pump.
