Diabetes Subtypes: A New Lens for Personalized Reversal

By: DRCadmin
May 24, 2025

For decades, diabetes was broadly classified into Type 1 and Type 2. This binary view led to standardised, one-size-fits-all treatments. But modern research, along with Ayurvedic wisdom, shows that diabetes is not a single disease. It’s a cluster of disorders — with different causes, trajectories, and treatment needs.

At the Diabetes Reversal Clinic by EliteAyurveda, we approach diabetes not just by its type but by identifying its subtype — whether it’s driven by obesity, stress, inflammation, autoimmune-like behavior, liver dysfunction, hormonal imbalance, or hidden insulin resistance. Recognising subtypes allows us to craft more precise, root-cause solutions — which is the essence of reversal.

Diabetes Subtypes

🔍 Why Diabetes Subtyping Matters

Most patients with Type 2 diabetes are treated the same way — with blood sugar-lowering pills or insulin. However, many:

Continue progressing despite medication
Have different symptoms and complications
Respond very differently to the same treatments

Why? Because they have different metabolic and hormonal dysfunctions underneath the same diagnosis label.

Just as Ayurveda assesses the prakriti (constitution) and vikriti (imbalance) unique to each person, modern science now acknowledges that diabetes, too, must be personalised — not just in terms of therapy, but also diagnosis.

🔬 The 5 Recognised Subtypes of Type 2 Diabetes (as per recent research)

A 2018 Swedish study proposed five clusters based on insulin function, insulin resistance, autoimmunity, age of onset, and BMI. These apply primarily to Type 2 and latent diabetes presentations:

1. Severe Autoimmune Diabetes (SAID)

Closest to Type 1, with autoimmune destruction of β-cells
Occurs in younger adults
Low insulin production
High risk of ketoacidosis
Positive for GAD antibodies

Ayurvedic Insight: Often linked to Pitta-Vata imbalance and deep dhatu (tissue) depletion, requiring immune modulation and deep rejuvenation therapy.

2. Severe Insulin-Deficient Diabetes (SIDD)

No autoimmunity, but pancreas cannot produce enough insulin
High blood sugars despite normal weight
High risk of retinopathy
Often mistaken for regular Type 2

Ayurvedic Insight: Caused by agni depletion in Meda and Rasa dhatu, weakening Ojas and pancreatic function. Requires rasayana-based β-cell rejuvenation rather than insulin sensitisation alone.

3. Severe Insulin-Resistant Diabetes (SIRD)

Typically in obese patients with fatty liver
High insulin levels but cells don’t respond
High risk of kidney damage and NAFLD
Classic “modern” diabetes type

Ayurvedic Insight: A Kapha-Meda imbalance subtype. Heavy, dull, and metabolically congested — needing deep cleansing, Kapha pacification, and Agni rekindling.

Young onset, generally obese, but metabolically less severe
Slower progression
Good initial response to lifestyle changes
Low complication risk early on

Ayurvedic Insight: Often an early Kapha dominance in otherwise balanced constitutions. Responds well to lightening therapies, herbs for Meda digestion, and dietary restructuring.

Occurs in older adults
Mild insulin resistance
Slowest progression
Least complications

Ayurvedic Insight: This is a Vata-Pitta ageing-linked depletion, requiring more strengthening and rejuvenation than detoxification.

⚛️ Ayurveda’s Deeper Classification

Long before modern medicine subtyped diabetes, Ayurveda had its own nuanced lens. The ancient texts describe Prameha — a group of urinary and metabolic disorders — with 20 subtypes.

They are classified based on:

Dosha involvement (Kapha, Pitta, Vata)
Dhatu dushti (tissue pathology: Meda, Rakta, Majja, etc.)
Ojas status (immune-metabolic strength)
Clinical manifestation (obesity, leanness, excessive thirst, fatigue, etc.)

Kapha-Dominant Subtypes

Associated with obesity, sluggishness, sweet urine, heaviness
These patients respond well to lightening, detox, and fat metabolism herbs

Pitta-Dominant Subtypes

Involve inflammation, burning sensations, excessive hunger
Require cooling, liver-supporting and Pitta-calming therapies

Vata-Dominant Subtypes

Occur in lean or older individuals with neuropathies, dryness, fatigue
Need strengthening, nerve nourishment, and Ojas-enhancing formulations

Thus, Ayurveda inherently recognised that not all diabetes is created equal — some need cleansing, some nourishment, others immune regulation.

🧪 How We Identify Your Diabetes Subtype

At the Diabetes Reversal Clinic, we go beyond standard labels and investigate:

Test/Observation	What It Reveals
Fasting insulin & HOMA-IR	Hidden insulin resistance (SIRD subtype)
C-peptide levels	Pancreatic function (SIDD or MARD)
Liver ultrasound	Fatty liver in obese subtypes
Autoimmune markers (GAD, IA-2)	SAID subtype
Ayurvedic nadi and tongue diagnosis	Dosha dominance and Agni assessment
Body composition (lean vs. fat mass)	Kapha vs. Vata-Pitta profiles
Meal response curve	Blood sugar variability subtype
Stress and cortisol profiles	Adrenal contribution to sugar issues

🌿 Our Tailored Ayurvedic Protocols Based on Subtypes

Rather than treating everyone the same way, we match our therapies to the subtype:

🔸 For Insulin-Resistant (Kapha-Meda) Subtypes

Kapha-pacifying herbs
Meal restructuring to reduce insulin burden
Gut microbiome correction to enhance sensitivity
External therapies to stimulate Agni and circulation

🔸 For Insulin-Deficient (Vata-Pitta) Subtypes

β-cell rejuvenation herbs
Rasayana protocols for Ojas enhancement
Nourishing foods and digestive tonics
Sleep, nervous system, and stress regulation

🔸 For Autoimmune Subtypes

Immune-calming herbs
Liver and spleen strengthening
Avoiding inflammatory triggers
Rasayana + immune modulation combo

🌱 Personalized Herbal Formulations for Diabetes Reversal

At DRC by EliteAyurveda, each subtype gets a tailored combination of formulations:

Personalized Herbal Formulations for Diabetes Reversal
At DRC by EliteAyurveda, we create customized herbal formulations to target the underlying causes of diabetes. These herbal solutions are designed to enhance insulin function, reduce inflammation, and improve metabolism naturally.

🌱 Insulin Sensitivity Formula – Restores cellular response to insulin
🌱 Pancreas Rejuvenation Blend – Supports beta-cell regeneration
🌱 Anti-Inflammatory Blood Sugar Control – Reduces chronic inflammation
🌱 Gut-Healing Probiotic Formula – Strengthens microbiome health
🌱 Detox & Metabolism Booster – Eliminates toxins for optimal glucose metabolism

🔹 These formulations are adjusted as the body progresses in its healing journey, allowing for a gradual reduction in dependency on external medications.

🔄 Beyond Blood Sugar: Why Subtyping Prevents Complications

Different subtypes are prone to different complications. For example:

SIDD and SAID are more likely to develop retinopathy and neuropathy
SIRD is closely linked with kidney damage and fatty liver
MOD may seem mild but can escalate if lifestyle isn’t corrected

By identifying your subtype, we can prevent the specific complications before they start.

🧭 Final Thought: Subtyping Is the First Step to True Reversal

If you’ve been told you have “Type 2” diabetes — that’s just the surface. Real healing begins when we go deeper: What’s causing it? What tissues are affected? Is it insulin resistance, deficiency, inflammation, or autoimmunity? And how does your body constitution interact with this?

The Diabetes Reversal Clinic by EliteAyurveda uses the wisdom of Ayurvedic pathology and the precision of modern lab analytics to uncover your subtype — and reverse it from the root.

Start your personalized reversal journey today.

🔹 www.diabetesreversal.clinic
🔹 Subtype assessment + tailored Ayurvedic plan
🔹 No CGM or complex testing required
🔹 Designed for full reversal, not lifelong dependency

Diabetes Subtypes: A New Lens for Personalized Reversal