Did You Know There Are 5 Types of Diabetes? Here’s How They Differ

From eatingwell.com 

From type 1 to gestational diabetes, each type affects your body differently. Knowing which form you have is important for proper treatment

• Diabetes isn’t one disease. There are several types of diabetes and each has different causes, symptoms and treatments.
• Insulin plays a central role in diabetes. The body may not make enough or use it properly, which can lead to high blood sugar. 
• Lifestyle habits make a big difference for helping manage diabetes, but medication may also be necessary.

More than 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes—that’s a lot of people. But diabetes isn’t just one universal condition. There are many different types. All types involve problems with blood sugar regulation and insulin, but the underlying causes and symptoms vary—and so do the treatments. For example, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that requires insulin, type 2 diabetes can sometimes be managed with lifestyle changes—though some people may also need medication—and gestational diabetes happens during pregnancy and often resolves after delivery.

Understanding which type of diabetes you’re dealing with is really important in properly managing it. Let’s take a look at what sets apart the many different types of diabetes, with expertise shared by diabetes experts, including an endocrinologist and registered dietitians. 

                                                  Credit: Design elements: Getty Images. EatingWell design.

What Is Insulin?

“Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that acts like a key, unlocking cells to allow glucose—blood sugar—to enter and be used for energy or stored for later,” says Michelle Routhenstein, RDN, CDCES.

When someone has diabetes, insulin either is not produced or is not used properly, leading to high blood sugar levels. In type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune condition, the body doesn’t produce enough insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body becomes resistant to insulin or doesn't produce enough of it.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition where the body makes little or no insulin, leading to high blood sugar. “People with type 1 diabetes will need daily insulin and monitoring to manage their blood glucose and overall health,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES. Among all people with diabetes, approximately 5% to 10% have type 1.

Along with taking insulin, people with type 1 diabetes need to regularly check their blood sugar levels, often through continuous glucose monitoring. This helps track blood sugar and adjust insulin doses in real time. Blood sugar that is too high or too low can cause issues. Lifestyle factors like exercise and balanced nutrition are also important.

“Managing type 1 diabetes involves paying attention to net carbohydrate loads and planning meals within a heart-healthy lifestyle, including plenty of fibre, healthy fats and lean proteins, to help maintain stable blood sugar and reduce long-term cardiovascular risks,” Routhenstein says. 

Type 2 Diabetes

“Type 2 diabetes is a condition where blood sugar is consistently elevated because the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin, leading to poor glucose control,” Routhenstein says. When the body has trouble using insulin properly, this is called insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes tends to develop gradually and can be influenced by weight, lifestyle and genetics, Sheth says. This is the most common form of diabetes, affecting around 10% of all Americans.

Type 2 diabetes is treated and managed with oral and injectable medications, regular blood sugar monitoring and lifestyle changes like a healthy diet, regular exercise and weight management.

Prediabates

Prediabetes is an in-between stage where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to diagnose diabetes. “Prediabetes often has no obvious symptoms, so it is important to check blood work annually and request an HbA1c test,” Routhenstein says.

People with prediabetes are at an increased risk for developing a bunch of different conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. But type 2 diabetes can sometimes be prevented or delayed with lifestyle changes like losing weight, eating a nutritious diet and exercising.

“It is very important to identify prediabetes early because interventions can prevent progression to diabetes,” says Jocelyne G. Karam, M.D., director of the Division of Endocrinology at Maimonides Health. 

Gestational Diabetes

This is a form of diabetes that is diagnosed during pregnancy. It usually develops around the 24th week of pregnancy, so most women have a glucose screening test somewhere between weeks 24 and 28 to screen for it.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maternal Infant Health. Diabetes During Pregnancy.

Treating and managing gestational diabetes involves nutritious eating, physical activity and close blood glucose monitoring. “If targets are not being met by lifestyle factors alone, insulin may be added to the regimen,” Sheth says. 

This form of diabetes usually resolves after delivery, but both the mother and child will have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on down the line.

Type 1.5 Diabetes

Type 1.5 diabetes, also called latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, is a form of diabetes that shares features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. “It occurs later in life like in type 2 diabetes, but its mechanism is an autoimmune destruction of the pancreas like in type 1 diabetes,” Karam says.

Somewhere between 2% and 12% of adults who are diagnosed with diabetes have this form. In the early stages, LADA is sometimes treated with oral medications and diet and lifestyle changes. But as the condition progresses, insulin is needed.

Tips for Managing Diabetes

• Get regular exercise: Exercise helps regulate blood sugar and is also good for heart health. Karam recommends aiming to fit in 30 minutes of physical activity at least five times per week.
• Make a habit of resistance training. “Resistance training increases muscle glucose uptake, which makes the cells more sensitive to insulin and helps lower blood sugar,” Routhenstein says.
• Stay hydrated: “Water supports blood glucose balance, energy and overall health and well-being,” Sheth says.
• Be consistent with your mealtimes: “Eating at consistent times of day supports your body’s circadian rhythm, which influences insulin release and blood sugar regulation,” Routhenstein says. “Irregular meal timing can cause larger blood sugar spikes and impair insulin response.”
• Eat balanced meals: “Pair protein and healthy fats with fibre-rich carbs to slow digestion and help keep blood glucose steady,” Sheth says.
• Prioritize complex carbohydrates: It’s important to limit refined sugars, but don’t cut all carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates—like starchy vegetables, beans and whole grains—are digested more slowly and less likely to cause sharp spikes in blood sugar.
• Work closely with your health care team: See a health care provider, such as an endocrinologist, to talk through any questions or concerns you have about diabetes. It can also be helpful to work with other health care professionals, like a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES), to learn more about managing diabetes.

Our Expert Take 

Diabetes isn’t a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. There are several different types, and each is managed and treated slightly differently. Some people require insulin or an oral or injectable medication, while others may be able to get by with lifestyle changes like healthier eating and regular workouts. The good news is, all types of diabetes can be managed effectively with the right knowledge, support and care. Working with your health care team is important in finding out which treatment is most appropriate for you.

https://www.eatingwell.com/types-of-diabetes-explained-11845839

The Morning Habit That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar

From eatingwell.com

And how to build a more balanced start 

• Sugary breakfasts are a common habit that can spike your blood sugar fast.
• Pair protein, fibre, and healthy fats to keep blood sugar steady all morning.
• A balanced breakfast supports better focus, energy, and appetite control.

It’s 8 a.m. and you’re already rushing. You grab a chocolate muffin and a hazelnut latte from your favourite cafe and dash off to work. Quick and easy, right? While convenient, a breakfast that’s loaded with added sugar can set your energy and blood sugar levels on a roller coaster ride that may leave you feeling worse than before eating it.

“This roller coaster can lead people to feel hungry, tired, irritable in some cases, and not as mentally sharp or able to focus,” says Amy Huelle, M.P.H., RD, CDCES. You may even feel hungrier than before you ate, she adds. We can all agree that’s probably not the greatest state of mind or body for starting your workday.

Ahead, we break down what happens in your body after a sugary breakfast, how those blood sugar swings make you feel, and what to eat instead to help support stable energy and blood sugar levels throughout your morning. 

                                                                         Credit: Design elements: Getty Images. EatingWell design.

Why Eating a Sugary Breakfast Can Raise Your Blood Sugar

Grabbing a pastry or sipping a sweetened latte can cause blood glucose to rise rapidly. This is especially true if your breakfast doesn’t have much fibre, protein or healthy fat to slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, says Andrea Miller, RDN, CDCES.

But it doesn’t end there. That rapid surge in blood sugar triggers your pancreas to release a large amount of insulin, which can lead to a rapid drop in blood sugar. This may leave you feeling shaky, irritable or ravenous just an hour or two later.

 “Some people can actually release too much insulin after a high sugar meal and their body overcompensates, causing their blood glucose to drop too low,” Miller says. “This is a condition known as reactive hypoglycaemia.”

Miller explains that it’s normal for blood sugar to rise and fall after eating, but if you have a lot of sugar at once—especially on an empty stomach—you might experience more drastic peaks and drops. “For some people, this could lead to low energy and cravings for more sugar,” Miller says. “It can be a vicious cycle.”

How someone feels after a sugary breakfast varies from person to person. And some people may not notice any symptoms at all. For those who do, they may “notice a significant improvement in how they feel after making changes to their morning nutrition,” Huelle says. Yet, she points out, people with healthy blood sugar have a good set of checks and balances in the body to keep blood sugar at a steady state, and a rise in blood sugar after eating isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

“It is important to remember that one meal or an occasional day of [sugary meals] is not going to have long-term effects,” Miller says. “It's all about our overall diet quality.”

How to Support More Stable Blood Sugar in the Morning

• Build a balanced breakfast: Start your day with a balanced meal that includes protein, fibre, and healthy fats. “Protein and fibre slow down digestion and keep blood sugar nice and steady, not a roller coaster ride like sugary refined carbohydrates,” Huelle says. Some of her favourite balanced breakfast meals include: strained (Greek-style) yogurt parfait with berries and seeds or a veggie omelette with whole-grain toast.
• Pair carbohydrates with protein: Combining carbohydrates with protein helps slow glucose absorption. Miller suggests topping your oatmeal with plain strained (Greek-style) yogurt or stirring in some protein powder. Other protein options include eggs, cottage cheese, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds.
• Limit sugary drinks: Juices, flavoured coffee drinks, sweetened coffee creamers, soda and energy drinks are often loaded with added sugar, which can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Try scaling back on sweeteners or choosing unsweetened options more often.
• Choose whole grains over refined carbs: White bread, pastries and sugary cereals digest quickly and can spike blood sugar. Instead, reach for high-fibre foods like whole-grain bread, oats, nuts, seeds, fruit and veggies. “These slow carbohydrate absorption, blunt blood sugar spikes and promote satiety,” Huelle says.

• Other Morning Factors That May Play a Role

  • Physical activity: “Light to moderate activity after meals can significantly lower blood sugar,” Huelle says. “I encourage my patients to walk 10-15 minutes after meals.” 
  • Sleep: Pay attention to your sleep quality, timing and duration. These all can influence your blood sugar and can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, Huelle says. Prioritize getting enough rest to support your energy and metabolic health.
  • Caffeine sensitivity: Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others and may experience a blood sugar spike after drinking coffee, even if it’s unsweetened. Tune into how your body feels after your morning brew.

  Our Expert Take

  A sugary breakfast might give you a short-lived energy boost, but it can also lead to crashes that leave you feeling drained and craving more sugar. That said, occasional sweets are part of a balanced approach to eating. The key is making nourishing choices most of the time. 

  Starting your day with a balanced meal that includes protein, fiber, and healthy fats will provide more stable energy levels and help prevent a blood sugar rollercoaster.

• https://www.eatingwell.com/morning-habit-that-can-spike-your-blood-sugar-11846280
  

How diabetes affects sleep patterns: here are five articles for World Diabetes Day

From frontiersin.org

Over 800 million people globally have a type of diabetes, with numbers steadily rising. November 14 marks World Diabetes Day. This year the theme is ‘diabetes across life stages.’ It highlights that diabetes can affect people at all ages, aims to improve prevention, and seeks to empower diabetics young and old alike. We’re highlighting five recently published articles on aging and diabetes.

Young people are more than twice as likely to have diabetes than 30 years ago

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D) are multifold, they may include behavioural, environmental, and social factors, but also genetics or epigenetics may play a role. Young people can be especially insulin resistant and make up a disadvantaged group who might have less access to high-quality healthcare, compared to adults with T2D.

In a new Frontiers in Endocrinology study, researchers in China set out to understand trends and burden of T2DM in younger people.

Their results showed that between 1990 and 2021 the global incidence of T2D in people aged 15 to 24 years old increased from 56 per 100,000 people to 123.9 per 100,000 people, which means the number of individuals changing in status from non-disease to disease has more than doubled. The sharpest increase of new cases was found in youth aged 15 to 19 years and was higher among males than females. In specific regions – North Africa and the Middle East – the increase in new cases was highest, which highlights the importance of developing targeted strategies and interventions to address T2D among youth, the researchers wrote.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1626225/full

Extreme heat or cold could lead to negative diabetes outcomes

Diabetes and a changing climate are two of the grand challenges of our time. More than 11% of the world’s population has diabetes, and case numbers are expected to rise over the coming decades. At the same time, the effects of climate change – extreme temperatures, wildfires, food security, water quality, and disease vector distribution to name a few – impact both human and planetary health.

Writing in Frontiers in Public Health, an international team of researchers has examined the impact that extreme heat or cold has on the risk of diabetes, disease-related emergencies, and mortality.

Compiling data from 13 previously published articles, they found that extreme temperatures significantly increase likeliness of adverse diabetes-related events, hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and risk of diabetes-related deaths. This may be due to the fact that people with diabetes are more prone to impaired thermoregulation and autonomic dysfunction. Excessive heat can cause dehydration, systemic inflammation, or impaired nervous system functioning, whereas extreme cold can lead to minimized physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle which can lead to obesity and insulin resistance.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1677522/full

Less common types of diabetes might disrupt sleep

There are many types of diabetes, and some are better known and studied than others. Most frequent and best studied is T2D, but we know of more forms of diabetes including type 1 (T1D); monogenic diabetes (MODY), which includes various inherited types and neonatal diabetes; drug-induced diabetes; and other disease-associated forms.

Now, researchers in the US and Ecuador reviewed the current state of knowledge on the relationship between sleep patterns and diabetes management in people with less common forms of diabetes, namely T1D and monogenic diabetes. They published the results in Frontiers in Endocrinology.

They found that – like people with T2D who are more likely to have shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality, and increased risk of sleep apnoea – T1D patients are more likely to sleep shorter and poorer. Both adults and children with T1D often don’t sleep the recommended number of hours for their age. MODY patients, too, sleep poorer, are more likely to suffer from insomnia and sleep apnoea. The mechanism and differences between different types of monogenic diabetes, however, aren’t fully known. In the future, paediatric and adult large-scale cohort studies should be carried out to improve understanding of sleep quality in less common forms of diabetes, the researchers said.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2025.1388995/full

This digital twin could help optimize diabetes treatment

While various treatments and medications for T2D are available, not all drugs and dosing approaches work the same for all patients. To prevent adverse disease outcomes, individual treatment plans are essential.

Now, writing in a recently published Frontiers in Pharmacology article, researchers in Germany developed a whole-body model that simulates how glimepiride, an antidiabetic medication, moves into, though, and out of the body.

The model uses data from 20 clinical studies, which means diverse patient populations, treatment plans, dosing regimens, and health conditions are included. It comprises key organs involved in glimepiride absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, such as gut, liver, and kidneys. The digital twin doesn’t simply focus on one variable, instead it integrates multiple patient factors, including organ function, bodyweight, and genetics, at the same time. Being able to reflect complex clinical realities found in real patients, the twin can aid with the personalization of glimepiride therapy and support clinical decisions on initial dosing to ensure patient safety, the team wrote.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1686415/full

Diabetes might make keeping balance harder

Keeping balance is essential in daily life, and we do it countless times without thinking about it. Aging and aging related conditions, including T2D, may limit balance control.

In a recent Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience article, researchers in the US examined the effects of T2D on the small, unconscious, movements the body makes to keep balance, known as postural sway, among older adults. The sample was made up of 24 non-diabetic older adults and 20 older adults with T2D, with participants in both groups older than 65 years. They carried out a single task (quiet standing) and a dual task (standing and visual search).

The results showed that the T2D group showed signs of reduced postural stability during both tasks, compared to the non-diabetic group. Less postural control and greater disruption thereof among T2D patients could increase risk of falls, but longitudinal studies are necessary to track changes in postural control over time to better understand their relationship to fall risk in older adults with T2D, the team wrote.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1650484/full

https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2025/11/07/diabetes-sleep-aging-world-diabetes-day 

Just 10 Minutes of Exercise May Benefit T1D

From healthcentral.com

A short bout of vigorous activity can lead to better blood sugar for the next 24 hours in people with type 1 diabetes, new research shows 

When it comes to type 1 diabetes (T1D), exercise can be seen as something of a double-edged sword. While regular exercise has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, and blood glucose control over time, in the short term, physical activity can cause hard-to-predict dips or spikes in blood sugar. In fact, managing blood sugar during exercise can be so challenging that many people with T1D may avoid working out altogether, according to the World Journal of Diabetes.

But now, new research in the journal Diabetes Care shows that just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise can lead to better blood sugar control over the next 24 hours, increasing the amount of time people spend in a healthy blood glucose range. This finding emphasizes the importance of physical activity for people with type 1 diabetes and underscores the immediate benefits it can offer for someone with the condition.

A Little Exercise Goes A Long Way

                                                                                   GettyImages/Halfpoint

The Diabetes Care study included people between ages 11 and 20 (with a median age of 13) who had been newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Researchers gave the participants a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system and an activity tracker and kept tabs on their activity and blood glucose during the first year after their diagnosis.

When the study authors analysed participants’ physical activity and daily CGM outcomes, they found that days that included at least 10 minutes of vigorous exercise—whether they did a random activity like hopping on a bike or followed an optional workout plan—led to more favourable blood sugar outcomes for the following 24 hours, compared to sedentary days. On exercise days, participants spent 2.3% more time in range and 3.1% less time above range in the subsequent 24 hours—and while their time below range increased by 0.8%, it remained within clinical target recommendations (of less than 4% of the time).

Vigorous activity is typically defined as something akin to jogging, jumping rope, swimming laps, or participating in competitive sports. Exercise in general improves insulin sensitivity for hours after someone is active, which helps explain why even a short bout of activity can lead to better glucose control throughout the following day, says the study’s lead investigator Dessi Zaharieva, Ph.D., a certified exercise physiologist and certified diabetes care and education specialist working in paediatric endocrinology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.

The researchers also looked into the activity patterns of the study participants. “Over the first year post-diagnosis, [the average] participant also increased their daily physical activity,” Zaharieva adds. “The median daily steps increased by about 1,134 steps per day and median moderate-to-vigorous physical activity increased by about 11 minutes per day” from the beginning to the end of the study period.

While this result shows that technology alone (the activity trackers and CGMs) may be enough to influence people to move more, about half of the 122 participants also opted into a structured exercise education program consisting of four modules (one that the study authors designed, called the 4T Exercise Program). Those who completed all four spent 3.1% more time in range (about 45 minutes per day total) across their first year post-diagnosis, demonstrating that exercise education has additional benefits, Zaharieva says.

For Better Health, Exercise Is King

The researchers say that the sooner that people who are diagnosed with T1D embrace the benefits of exercise, the better.

“Many youth with T1D do not meet the daily recommended exercise guidelines, in part due to the fear of hypoglycaemia and feeling unsure how to manage glucose levels around exercise,” says Zaharieva. In fact, one small, recent study in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice found that just over 16% of young people with T1D get the 60 minutes of physical activity a day recommended for them.

Additionally, much of the existing guidance around working out with type 1 diabetes focuses on adults and people with established T1D and can’t be generalized to young people with new onset diabetes, she adds. This study sought to begin to fill that gap.

“Our goals were to: Number one, describe real-world exercise patterns in the first year after T1D diagnosis and; number two, test whether exercise and education are associated with glycaemic improvements,” Zaharieva explains. This study shows that even shorter durations of vigorous exercise can have a tangible impact on glucose levels the following day, and that exercise education can also benefit glycaemic outcomes by increasing activity levels.

Moving Towards Better Lifelong Blood Sugar Control

People with type 1 diabetes do have to take care when exercising, notes Elina Trofimovsky, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine in endocrinology at Baylor University in Houston, TX. “It is tricky to manage exercise when you are type 1, because depending on the activity, you have to make a lot of adjustments. But obviously it’s worth the [trouble],” she says.

People with T1D should take certain precautions, including making sure their blood sugar is within a healthy range before beginning to exercise, monitoring their blood sugar during and after the activity, and having glucose foods and glucagon on hand in case their blood sugar suddenly drops, Dr. Trofimovsky says. It’s important to work with your health care team when beginning an exercise routine after a type 1 diagnosis as you get used to managing the condition.

Zaharieva says that she hopes this study helps encourage people to continue exercising regularly after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, noting that even small lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference.

“We also want to promote the importance of exercise education,” she says, noting that she hopes to implement the 4T Exercise Program at various health care centres across the U.S. “Technology is helpful, but structured exercise education delivered early post-diagnosis yields added benefits to glycaemic outcomes.”

https://www.healthcentral.com/news/type-1-diabetes/just-10-minutes-of-exercise-may-benefit-t1d

What are the first signs of diabetes? Here's what experts need you to know.

From eu.usatoday.com

It’s estimated that 38.4 million Americans live with diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and other severe health conditions. And according to recent research, it’s possible that as many as 44% of people in the U.S. above the age of 15 may have undiagnosed diabetes. 

There have been incredible advances in treatments to manage diabetes, and identifying the condition in its early stages can vastly lower your risk for serious complications. Here are the signs and symptoms experts need you to know. 

What is diabetes? What is the difference between type 1 and type 2?

Diabetes comes about when the blood sugar in your body is too high, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Our bodies need glucose – which you can get from eating healthy, carbohydrate-rich foods like starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes – for essential fuel. When the endocrine system is functioning properly, the pancreas releases insulin hormone to help manage glucose levels. But if your body becomes insulin resistant, or you’re producing too little of the hormone, glucose can accumulate in the blood, leading to high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), per Cleveland Clinic.

There are a few different types of diabetes, but type 2 is by far the most common, accounting for 90% to 95% of all diabetes diagnoses in the U.S., according to NIDDK. It occurs when your body becomes resistant to insulin. The condition most often presents in adults, but the proportion of adolescents being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing, says Dr. Joseph A. Aloi, MD, a professor of medicine at Wake Forest University.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease (typically arising in younger people) that occurs when your immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing insulin, leaving you with little to no insulin at all, per NIDDK.

How do you know if you have diabetes?

There are a few overlapping symptoms between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, including unintentional weight loss, excessive thirst, excessive urination, recurring yeast infections and blurry vision (if you wear glasses, this might even feel like your eyeglass prescription is a little off), says Dr. Janet O’Mahony, an internal medicine doctor at Mercy Personal Physicians Downtown.

The symptoms of type 1 often develop much quicker than that of type 2. Prior to a diabetes diagnosis, it’s not uncommon for type 1 patients to end up in the hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), says Dr. Priya Kundra, MD, an endocrinologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. This is a potentially life-threatening, severe illness that comes about when certain acids in your body (ketones) accumulate in your blood due to a lack of insulin, per the NHS. 

As for type 2, one of the difficulties of catching the condition in its early stages is that symptoms can develop very gradually. “Diabetes is a chronic condition, and it can get worse over time,” says Kundra. So, unless you’re very proactive about getting regular blood sugar checks, the early symptoms could be mild enough that you might not realize something is wrong.

What is the best way to treat diabetes?

If diabetes is left untreated, your risk for serious health conditions (including kidney disease, heart attack, stroke, blindness and amputations) vastly increases, says O’Mahony.

When it comes to medication, type 1 diabetes is primarily treated with insulin therapy, such as through daily injection or a pump. If you have type 1, blood sugar monitoring, such as using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), is essential, says Kundra.

Type 2 diabetes is commonly treated with metformin, a daily oral medication, and could be accompanied by insulin therapy. But there have been many more advancements in the realm of treatment.

At the top of the list: GLP-1s. In 2005, the first GLP-1 agonist was approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration to treat type 2 diabetes. In 2024 alone, one in four Americans with type 2 diabetes were prescribed a GLP-1, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. The emergence of SGLT2 inhibitors have also had positive health outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes, says Aloi.

The bottom line is: “Early detection is important. If you look at people with prediabetes, a good number of them have already developed complications,” says Aloi. The American Diabetes Association’s longstanding recommendation was for people over the age of 45 to get screened for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes every three years. The ADA revised this recommendation in 2022 to encourage people to begin screening starting age 35. 

If it's identified through screening that you have prediabetes, “this is your opportunity to prevent progression,” he says. Your healthcare provider can help craft an individualized treatment plan that considers lifestyle habits, medication and takes into account other pre-existing conditions to help you prevent serious health complications down the line. 

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2025/11/03/what-is-diabetes/86850083007/