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LADA - Type 1.5 Diabetes
LADA stands for Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. It’s a type of diabetes that shares features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Because of this, some people call it type 1.5 diabetes.
Signs & symptoms
- Peeing more than usual
- Feeling very thirsty
- Feeling very tired
- Losing weight without trying
- Symptoms appear more slowly than type 1 but faster than type 2.
People with LADA are often a healthy weight.
LADA can sometimes be mistaken for type 2 diabetes. A blood test (called a GADA antibody test) can help show whether a person has LADA.
It’s most often diagnosed in adults aged 30 to 50 years.
Treatment
- Often starts with tablets like metformin.
- Most people will need insulin sooner than with type 2.
- The aim is to keep blood sugar under control and protect long-term health.
There’s no single agreed treatment yet, starting insulin early may help your body keep making its own insulin for longer.
