The prevalence of pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the US and around the world. The American Medical Association estimates one out of every three US adults (almost 88 million people) has pre-diabetes, and 80% of them are unaware of it.
Pre-diabetes, also known as impaired glucose tolerance, can progress to Type 2 diabetes if left untreated, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, blindness, and other problems. If you have prediabetes, it is usually possible to get rid of it.
Having high blood sugar, but not high enough to be called diabetes is known as pre-diabetes. Since you’ve developed insulin resistance, your blood sugar may be higher than usual. Insulin is a hormone produced by the body to help it handle blood sugar so that cells may use it for energy. When the body doesn’t work well with insulin, blood sugar levels go up.
Pre-diabetes can often be reversed by making dietary and lifestyle adjustments. However, unless you’re paying attention, the indicators can be subtle and go overlooked. These are some of the most prevalent pre-diabetes symptoms to be aware of.
These are the blood sugar values (measured after fasting) that signal prediabetes or diabetes, according to the CDC:
- Under 100 mg/dL is considered normal.
- Prediabetes is defined as a blood sugar level of 100 to 125 mg/dL.
- Diabetes: a blood sugar level of more than 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL
A1C blood testing determines your average blood sugar level over the previous two or three months. A1C levels of less than 5.7 percent are considered normal. Prediabetes is defined as an A1C level of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, whereas diabetes is defined as an A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher.
During a typical medical exam, your blood sugar is examined as a matter of course. Adults should be checked for diabetes on a frequent basis, partly because pre-diabetes might have modest symptoms or no symptoms for years. Discuss your options with your healthcare practitioner.
The skin of people with pre-diabetes may show warning markers. These include yellow, brown, or reddish patches on the skin that may start as raised bumps (necrobiosis lipodica) or a dark patch of velvet-like skin on your neck, crotch, or elsewhere, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (acanthosis nigricans). You may also notice hard, thickened patches of skin on your fingers or toes, as well as unhealed wounds or sores.
Some persons with pre-diabetes could develop eye abnormalities that might progress to diabetic retinopathy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Diabetes can cause vision loss by damaging blood vessels in the eye or causing new blood vessels to develop. Consult your eye doctor if your eyesight becomes fuzzy.
Being thirstier than usual or peeing more frequently than usual can indicate pre-diabetes or diabetes. This is because as blood sugar levels rise, the body attempts to wash it out by increasing urine production. Sugar draws fluid from other tissues as it leaves the body, leaving you dry and thirsty.
People who have prediabetes or diabetes may experience more fatigue than usual. Because the conditions hinder the body’s cells from utilizing blood sugar as an energy source, you may feel exhausted.
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