Type 1 Diabetes Functional Medicine Support
Conditions We Support
We help patients with Type 1 Diabetes improve their overall wellness. Dr. Autoimmune looks at diet and lifestyle to support your body.
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects 1.6 million Americans alone, mostly children.
There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 differs from type 2 in that it is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to create antibodies (little warriors) that attack your pancreas, which makes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body can't create insulin, which results in high blood sugar levels.
Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
Do you suspect or know that you have type 1 diabetes or insulin resistance? You may experience symptoms such as these:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Blurred vision
- Unintended weight loss
- Irritability and other mood changes
- Anxiety
- Sugar cravings after meals
- Bed-wetting in children who previously didn't wet the bed during the night
Triggers for Type 1 Diabetes
What can trigger or fuel type 1 diabetes?
- Gluten sensitivity or other food triggers
- Viral infection such as Epstein Barr virus (EBV)
- Plastics like BPA, phthalates, parabens
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
- Mold toxicity
- Low glutathione status
- Hormonal imbalances
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Leaky gut
- Blood sugar dysfunction
- Low vitamin D
Markers Often Reviewed Alongside Glucose Management
- Diabetes-related autoantibodies from your endocrinology workup
- HbA1c and glucose trends from your care team
- Nutrient status and inflammatory markers when relevant
- Digestive and microbiome-related testing when gut symptoms are present
Endocrine Management Remains Essential
Type 1 diabetes requires insulin and ongoing endocrine monitoring. Functional medicine does not replace insulin therapy.
We focus on immune and gut factors, nutrient support, and lifestyle patterns that may influence how well you feel day to day while insulin management continues with your diabetes team.
Our Supportive Approach
After reviewing your history and labs, we look for modifiable drivers — gut inflammation, food reactions, stress physiology, and nutrient gaps — and build a plan that respects your insulin regimen.
How Can Dr. Autoimmune Help?
The standard treatment for type 1 diabetes is injectable insulin medication. This method addresses the issue of high blood sugar, but it does not address the root cause of the problem.
It can be frustrating trying to find help with chronic and complex conditions, which is why we have chosen to dedicate our practice to exactly that. Instead of treating the symptoms, the functional medicine approach focuses on finding the causes.
All autoimmune diseases start in the gut. We design custom plans of dietary intervention, supplements and lifestyle recommendations to help heal the gut and support the immune system. In supporting these fundamental functions of the digestive tract we can reduce inflammation and see dramatic changes in symptoms.
Start Your Health Consultation
Take the first step toward better health. Personalized care, real answers, and lasting wellness start here.
Book your Discovery CallFinding the Root Cause
We know that autoimmunity requires 3 things to develop:
- 1Genetic predisposition
- 2Leaky gut (a.k.a intestinal permeability)
- 3An environmental trigger
It All Starts in the Gut!
Our small intestine consists of 25 feet of tubing, the inside surface area being equivalent to that of a doubles tennis court!
Proteins called “tight junctions” prevent a flood of material into the gut. Low vitamin D levels coupled with inflammation in the gut starts to widen the space between cells, allowing materials (bacteria and food) to start seeping through. This triggers inflammation and antibodies are formed against our own tissue.
Type 1 diabetes Care in Boulder, Colorado — and Nationwide by Telehealth
Dr. Autoimmune is based in Boulder, Colorado, and delivers care entirely by telehealth so patients across Colorado and the United States can work with the team without travel.
Lab draws are coordinated at a facility convenient to where you live. Discovery calls and evaluations happen by secure video. If you are searching for a type 1 diabetes specialist in Boulder, start on this page and the homepage. Denver metro patients can read how visits work with the Boulder clinic on the Denver telehealth page, then book a discovery call to confirm fit alongside any specialists you already see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that requires insulin. We do not claim reversal. Our work supports overall resilience and root-cause factors alongside endocrine care.
Related Reading
At Dr. Autoimmune, we provide personalized, root-cause care to uncover the source of your symptoms and support long-term wellness. This page is educational and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for specialty care when it is needed.
Related Conditions
Explore other conditions we regularly treat with the same root-cause approach.
