Doctors Reveal 11 Silent Signs of High Blood Sugar You Should Never Ignore

From aol.com

When you eat, your body converts carbohydrates into glucose—a “vital fuel for the body,” says Chhaya Makhija, M.D., endocrinologist at Unified Endocrine and Diabetes Care. That glucose is released into your bloodstream. And insulin helps it move into your cells, where it gets used as energy. But when that final step doesn’t happen, glucose can build up in your bloodstream—causing you to have high blood sugar and experience hyperglycaemia symptoms, which may be indicators of diabetes.

“High blood sugar—also called hyperglycaemia—means there’s too much glucose in your bloodstream,” says Lisa Shah, M.D., a physician who specializes in metabolic health. This typically happens because your body doesn’t produce insulin (type 1 diabetes), doesn’t produce enough insulin (type 2 diabetes), or isn’t able to use insulin effectively (prediabetes and type 2 diabetes), she explains. But you can experience hyperglycemia even if you don’t have diabetes.

Meet the experts: Chhaya Makhija, M.D., CEO, founder, and endocrinologist at Unified Endocrine and Diabetes Care; Lisa Shah, M.D., physician, executive vice president, and chief medical officer at Twin Health; Akhil Shenoy, M.D., endocrinologist, internal medicine physician, and medical adviser at Aeroflow Diabetes.

When left untreated, high blood sugar can make you feel tired, weak, and dehydrated—and lead to potentially life-threatening complications, like diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS)—more on these below. But you may not experience any symptoms at first, says Akhil Shenoy, M.D., endocrinologist and internal medicine physician. “Hyperglycemia doesn’t always feel obvious right away,” Dr. Shah explains. “The symptoms can be gradual and vague.”

Because of this, experts recommend routine screening—especially if you have risk factors for diabetes. Even if you don’t, you should keep an eye out for the following high blood sugar symptoms and get to a doctor if you experience several of them at once.

                                            11 Subtle Signs of High Blood Sugar Jajah-sireenut - Getty Images

High blood sugar symptoms

Frequent urination

Constantly running to the toilet? Hyperglycaemia may be to blame. “When [your] blood sugar is high, your body works hard to bring it back into balance,” Dr. Shah says. Your kidneys go into overdrive trying to flush out that extra sugar. “Since the kidneys cannot simply push out solid sugar cubes, [they] draw water to go along with the sugar, leading to excessive urination,” Dr. Shenoy explains.

Increased thirst

Your body is a system. So as your kidneys work to get rid of that extra glucose—and as you start peeing more—you’ll also get thirstier. “The brain senses high glucose and signals you to drink more water,” Dr. Makhija explains. You might catch yourself reaching for your water bottle more often. You might also experience dehydration symptoms, like weakness and dry mouth.

Fatigue

Hyperglycaemia can make you feel weak, exhausted, and unlike your usual self. “You might feel tired, fatigued, or sluggish,” Dr. Shah says. “You might feel foggy or have a hard time concentrating on something.” In general, you’ll just feel “off,” she explains. And as time goes on, you might notice more obvious high blood sugar symptoms, like increased thirst and urination.

Persistent hunger

When you have high blood sugar, glucose gets “stuck” in your bloodstream, Dr. Shenoy explains. “Meanwhile, the cells of the body—such as the brain, the heart, and the muscle cells—are not receiving the sugar that is needed for normal function,” he says. Your body may try to compensate by going into “starvation mode,” making you feel hungrier than usual.

Weight loss

High blood sugar can cause rapid, unexplained weight loss—for a couple of different reasons. When your body can’t rely on glucose for energy, it starts burning fat and muscle instead, per the Cleveland Clinic. “This is an unhealthy type of weight loss,” Dr. Shenoy explains. Urinating more and dehydration can also contribute to weight loss, Dr. Makhija adds.

Blurry vision

Prolonged high glucose may damage blood vessels and nerves throughout the body—including your eyes. The macula (a part of the eye) can swell due to leaky blood vessels (known as macular edema), resulting in blurry vision. While diabetic retinopathy tends to happen after very long periods of high blood sugars, causing leaking blood vessels or new abnormal ones to grow, this tends to lead to blindness. Again, that’s the worst-case scenario, and it often takes a while to occur.

Hyperglycemia may make your vision blurry, simply because it makes you dehydrated. “Dehydration affects the eyes, particularly the retinas, which have a rich blood supply,” Dr. Makhija says. When you’re low on fluids, your eyes may get blurry. This is usually a temporary condition. “[But] if sugars remain high for many years, the eye can be permanently damaged,” Dr. Shenoy explains.

Frequent infections

Chronic high blood sugar “impairs the immune response,” making it harder for your body to fight off infections, Dr. Makhija explains. And being dehydrated all the time certainly doesn’t help, she adds. Because of this, you may find yourself getting sick more often—and staying sick longer than you normally would.

Slow-healing wounds

Since hyperglycemia impacts your immune response, it can also make it harder for your body to heal cuts and bruises. Chronic high blood sugar can also cause poor circulation and nerve damage, which can “reduce awareness of injury and delay healing,” compounding the problem, Dr. Makhija adds.

Fruity breath

Fruity breath isn’t merely a sign of high blood sugar—it’s a symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a dangerous hyperglycaemia complication. When your body starts burning protein and fat for energy, it releases ketones, Dr. Makhija explains. One of these ketones, acetone, can make your breath smell fruity or metallic—and it’s a warning sign you need to see a doctor ASAP. Untreated DKA can lead to death, so head to the emergency room, stat.

Confusion

High blood sugar can cause fatigue and brain fog. But if those symptoms become more severe—and you feel confused, disoriented, or delirious—you may need immediate medical care. These “changes in mental status” may be symptoms of DKA or hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS), potentially life-threatening hyperglycaemia complications, per Yale Medicine.

Upset stomach

Nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps are warning signs of DKA. When your body can’t rely on glucose for energy, it starts to burn fat and protein—and releases ketones in the process. As those ketones build up in your gastrointestinal tract, they can upset your stomach. “If you experience nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or mental fog, check your ketones and seek urgent care,” Dr. Makhija says. Ketone Sticks are over-the-counter test strips that detect ketones in the urine.

High blood sugar complications

Though high blood sugar starts subtly, it can cause serious complications if left untreated. “You may not feel symptoms in the early stages, but long-term high blood sugar can quietly cause irreversible damage,” Dr. Makhija says.

When glucose builds up in your bloodstream, it can damage your blood vessels—and subsequently your organs and nerves, Dr. Shenoy explains. Chronic high blood sugar can also lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS), two serious complications that can cause coma, organ damage, and death in severe cases.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of high blood sugar that’s especially common in people with type 1 diabetes, explains Dr. Makhija. When your body can’t rely on glucose for energy, it starts breaking down fat and protein instead. “A byproduct of this process is ketones, which are acidic compounds that build up in the blood and make it dangerously acidic,” Dr. Shah says.

Per the Cleveland Clinic and Yale Medicine, DKA symptoms may include:

• Frequent urination

• Increased thirst or dehydration

• Fatigue or weakness

• Persistent hunger

• Fruity breath

• Confusion

• Nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps

• Rapid heart rate

• Shortness of breath

• Fainting or coma

When left untreated, DKA may cause a range of dangerous complications, including organ damage, coma, and even death, per the Cleveland Clinic. “DKA is a life-threatening emergency and requires urgent treatment,” Dr. Makhija says.

Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS)

Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) is another dangerous hyperglycaemia complication, but it’s more common among people with type 2 diabetes, Dr. Makhija explains. When your blood sugar stays high for too long, it can cause extreme dehydration and confusion—without the excess ketones you see in DKA, Dr. Shenoy says.

“HHS is similar [to DKA] in that blood sugar is extremely high, but your body produces enough insulin to prevent ketones from building up,” Dr. Shah says. “Instead, the problem is that the excess sugar makes your blood very concentrated. Your body then tries to dilute it by pulling water from elsewhere into the bloodstream, which exacerbates dehydration and throws off electrolyte balance.”

Per the Cleveland Clinic and Yale Medicine, HHS symptoms include:

• Frequent urination

• Increased thirst or dehydration

• Blurry vision

• Confusion

• Weakness, especially on one side of the body

• Fainting or coma

The bottom line

A routine blood test (or even a finger prick) can give your doctor insight into your levels. The good news, when caught early, there are many medications available (from Ozempic to full-on insulin) to help manage blood sugars. If you have the symptoms on this list or are simply concerned that your blood sugar is high, ask your healthcare provider about next steps. If you believe you are experiencing DKA or HHS, seek immediate treatment. In severe cases, these conditions may cause seizures, organ damage, coma, and death. “If symptoms escalate or you’re unsure, call 911 or go to the emergency room,” Dr. Makhija says. “DKA and HHS are not manageable at home.”

https://www.aol.com/doctors-reveal-11-silent-signs-181400119.html 

3 Lifestyle Tweaks for Better Blood Sugar, According to Experts

From eatingwell.com

Because it’s not just about what you eat! 

KEY POINTS

• A healthy eating plan is one of the cornerstones of blood sugar management. 
• Experts say there are also simple habits that can keep blood sugar in check.
• These include regular movement, prioritizing sleep and managing stress.

Whether you’re living with prediabetes or diabetes—or just want more balanced blood sugar—what you eat is pivotal. However, it’s not the only thing that impacts your blood glucose numbers. Your habits can play a major role, too. The good news is that small, simple everyday lifestyle tweaks can be surprisingly powerful—no drastic measures required!

To make blood sugar management as easy as possible, we asked health experts to share their three top lifestyle strategies for healthier blood sugar. Here’s what they told us, plus easy, realistic ways to put these tweaks into action.

Add Movement to Your Day

“Consistent physical activity is key,” says certified diabetes educator Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., RD, CDCES. “Both aerobic exercise and strength training can improve insulin sensitivity and help the body utilize glucose more efficiently.”

And you don’t have to spend hours in the gym or on the bike to see a benefit. Research has found that even a short, 15-minute walk after eating can lower blood sugar.

If you could use some strategies to work more movement into your day, try these expert-backed tips.

• Avoid Prolonged Sitting: The more time you spend on your computer or tablet, the more time you’re likely to spend sitting. The fix? Try setting a timer on your phone or watch to remind you to get up and move. At work, consider scheduling walking meetings or try a standing desk.

  Buffey AJ, Herring MP, Langley CK, Donnelly AE, Carson BP. The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;52(8):1765-1787. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4

• Take the Stairs: This old piece of advice has withstood the test of time for good reason. Short bursts of activity throughout the day, like taking the stairs, are not only accessible, they’re also highly effective. 
• Get a Change of Scenery: If you need motivation to get moving, explore your neighbourhood, town or city for new spaces to walk and enjoy the sights.
• Try a Home Workout Video: There are countless workout videos online, and many of them are free to access. To make things even easier, look for short, no-equipment exercise videos that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.
• Mix Activity into Your Commute: If it’s safe and available, try walking or riding a bike for all or part of your commute. Or, if you typically take public transportation, and can get off one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way, give it a try. You’ll add steps to your day and you’ll feel more energized, too.
• Prioritize Quality Sleep

Without high-quality sleep, every function in the body suffers, including blood sugar management. “Individuals sleeping less have irregular eating habits, snack more and tend to eat more unhealthy foods,” says Juan Ramirez, APRN, a nurse practitioner specializing in endocrinology. “Insomnia can [also] affect hormones like cortisol that secondarily increase [blood] sugar levels and put you at risk of gaining weight.”

These little adjustments can help you get the rest you need.

• Add in Small Increments: If you’re not getting the recommended nightly seven to nine hours of sleep, try turning in five or ten minutes earlier each night (or sleeping a little later in the morning, if you can swing it). Once your body adjusts to that, continue adding on a few minutes every night until you reach the seven- to nine-hour sweet spot.
• Break Up with Your Screen: Adjusting screen-time habits can support healthy sleep. This might mean avoiding screens an hour or so before bed, moving your phone to a spot across the room, or turning on your phone’s Do Not Disturb feature to help you unplug in the evening.
• Create a Calm Environment: If your sleeping space induces stress, then it’s time to make some changes. Try decluttering your room, add a white noise machine to block outside noise, or change your bedding for more comfort.
• Make Your Room Dark and Cool: A cool, dark room makes it easier to get quality sleep. Consider using blackout curtains, if possible. If not, a sleep mask can also help block light. Before lights-out, lower the thermostat to make sure your room is nice and cool.
• Get Checked Out: “It is not just about how many hours you sleep; how well you sleep matters too,” says Routhenstein. “If someone wakes up a lot during the night, snores loudly or still feels tired in the morning even after getting a full night’s sleep, it might be a sign of a sleep issue like sleep apnoea, which should be looked into further.”  If you’re chronically exhausted despite good sleep habits, speak with your health care provider to rule out sleep apnoea or other sleep-robbing conditions.
• 
                                                                                  Credit: 

  Getty Images. EatingWell design

• Manage Stress

Stress happens to all of us. But when it becomes chronic, it can spell trouble for your blood sugar. “Chronic stress elevates hormones like cortisol, which prompt the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream,” says Routhenstein.

When this becomes a regular event, the ongoing increase in stress hormones can have a negative and continuous impact on blood sugar levels, explains Ramirez. This can make you more prone to weight gain and fatigue, he adds. That lack of energy can even translate to less motivation to exercise. 

Research has found that chronically high stress hormones may also increase the risk of developing insulin resistance. So, unchecked, chronic stress can adversely impact your blood sugar, even if you’re not living with diabetes.

Stress management doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated. Try these easy tweaks for less stress:

• Adjust Your Breathing: Research shows that simple breathing exercises can be highly effective for reducing stress. If you’re not sure where to start, check out one of the many deep-breathing apps that you can download to your phone.
• Practice Mindfulness: Simple prompts to practice gratitude can go a long way in restoring the calm in your day. Consider starting a gratitude journal, or make a short list of things you’re thankful for to quickly revisit throughout the day.
• Take a Meditation Break: Studies have found that even short meditation sessions can offer stress-management benefits.
• Connect with a Friend or Loved One: Research shows that social connection is a powerful tool for reducing stress. For a double bonus, try combining physical activity and social connection by taking an exercise class or going for a walk with a friend. 

Our Expert Take

When it comes to blood sugar management, we often focus on what we eat. However, our habits can also have a decided impact on blood glucose levels. And these habits don’t require extreme, time-consuming measures or overhauling your life. Experts say simple lifestyle tweaks like moving more often, prioritizing sleep and managing stress can all promote healthier blood sugar. Not sure where to start? Pick the habit that you think will be easiest to tackle and add on from there. Paired with a blood sugar–supporting eating plan, these easy-to-follow tweaks can double your odds of blood sugar management success.

https://www.eatingwell.com/lifestyle-tweaks-healthy-blood-sugar-levels-11792895

Scientists Discover a Surprising New Way To Fight Type 2 Diabetes

From scitechdaily.com

Gut microbes produce D-lactate that worsens metabolism. A trap for it restores healthier blood sugar and liver function

A group of Canadian researchers has identified an unexpected way to lower blood sugar and protect the liver: by capturing a little-known fuel produced by gut bacteria before it enters the body and causes harm. 

The findings, published in Cell Metabolism, could open the door to new therapies to treat metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.

Scientists in Canada discovered that gut microbes fuel liver dysfunction, but stopping this process at its source dramatically improved metabolic health in mice. Credit: Shutterstock

Microbial molecule disrupts metabolism

Scientists from McMaster University, Université Laval, and the University of Ottawa discovered that a molecule generated by gut microbes can cross into the bloodstream, where it drives the liver to overproduce glucose and fat. By designing a method to trap this molecule in the gut before it reaches circulation, they achieved striking improvements in blood sugar regulation and fatty liver disease in obese mice.

“This is a new twist on a classic metabolic pathway,” says Jonathan Schertzer, senior and corresponding author and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster. “We’ve known for nearly a century that muscles and the liver exchange lactate and glucose — a process called the Cori cycle. What we’ve discovered is a new branch of that cycle, where gut bacteria are also part of the conversation.”

In 1947, Carl Ferdinand Cori and Gerty Theresa Cori were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for showing how muscle-generated lactate fuels the liver to make blood glucose, which then cycles back to power muscle activity. Their work established the foundation for understanding how muscles use one form of lactate (L-lactate) and how the liver uses blood glucose in a tightly coordinated fuel exchange.

The Canadian team has now shown that obese mice — and even humans with obesity — carry elevated levels of a different molecule, D-lactate, in their blood. Unlike the well-studied L-lactate produced by muscles, D-lactate largely originates from gut bacteria and was found to raise blood sugar and liver fat more strongly.

Blocking D-lactate with a substrate trap

To stop this, the researchers created a “gut substrate trap” — a safe, biodegradable polymer that binds to D-lactate in the gut and prevents it from being absorbed. Mice fed this trap had lower blood glucose, less insulin resistance, and reduced liver inflammation and fibrosis — all without changing their diet or body weight.

“This is a completely new way to think about treating metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. Instead of targeting hormones or the liver directly, we’re intercepting a microbial fuel source before it can do harm,” says Schertzer, a member of the Centre for Metabolism, Obesity, and Diabetes Research (MODR) and Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster. Schertzer holds a Canada Research Chair in Metabolic Inflammation.

Reference: “Gut substrate trap of D-lactate from microbiota improves blood glucose and fatty liver disease in obese mice” by Han Fang, Fernando F. Anhê, Dana Kukje Zada, Nicole G. Barra, Rodrigo Rodrigues e-Lacerda, Breanne T. McAlpin, Ryan Wylie, Line Berthiaume, Étienne Audet-Walsh, Conor O’Dwyer, Peyman Ghorbani, Morgan D. Fullerton, Claudia Gagnon, André Tchernof, André Marette and Jonathan D. Schertzer, 29 July 2025, Cell Metabolism.
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2025.07.001

https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-a-surprising-new-way-to-fight-diabetes/

Mediterranean diet and exercise cut diabetes risk by nearly one-third, even without much weight loss, study finds

From abcnews.go.com 

More than 4,700 adults aged 55 to 75 were involved in the six-year study

A large six-year trial found that older adults who combined a Mediterranean diet with regular exercise were far less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who only changed their diet.

Researchers from Harvard and 23 Spanish hospitals studied more than 4,700 adults aged 55 to 75 with metabolic syndrome and excess weight over six years.

One group ate a traditional Mediterranean diet consisting of more fruits, vegetables, nuts and extra-virgin olive oil while limiting meat and added sugars.

Foods represented in the Mediterranean diet.    Adobe Stock

Meanwhile, the other group ate a similar diet but also slashed their daily intake by 600 calories and followed physical activity recommendations that included about 45 minutes of aerobic exercise six days a week, balance and flexibility exercises at least three days a week, and strength training at least two days a week.

"The physical activity program included aerobic activities, such as brisk walking or any equivalent activity of moderate intensity (e.g. aquagym, biking, swimming, etc.)," Dr. Jordi Salas, one of the lead authors of the study and professor of nutrition and bromatology at the Rovira i Virgili University in Spain, told ABC News. "The dietitians adapted the recommendations to the participants' fitness and preferences."

Those who reduced calories and exercise showed a marked reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes -- 31% -- despite only a small average weight loss of about six and a half pounds over the study period.

"In practice, a combination of modest weight loss, improvement in eating habits, and regular physical activity is likely to be more effective for diabetes prevention than focusing on a single factor," said Dr. Frank Hu, another one of the lead authors of the study and professor of medicine and chair of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

People run at sunrise.    Adobe Stock

The authors suggest that the potential anti-inflammatory effects of the diet may work together with the fat-lowering effects of fewer calories and more exercise to reduce the risk of diabetes.

"This study suggests that adding even small amounts of calorie reduction and movement can significantly enhance health benefits of the Mediterranean diet," Hu added.

The Mediterranean diet, ranked the world's best diet for the eighth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report in January 2025, may also help protect against Alzheimer's disease. A study published today in Nature Medicine found it lowered risk in people with genetic risk factors, adding to the diet's list of potential benefits.

"It is never too late to shift toward a healthy diet like the Mediterranean diet and increase physical activity levels to improve health status and prevent disease," Salas said.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/mediterranean-diet-exercise-cut-diabetes-risk-weight-loss/story?id=124958359

Diabetes smartphone test could diagnose condition in under 10 minutes

From the-independent.com

The creators of the world-first app at diagnostics company PocDoc say the test could also save the NHS billions 

The world’s first smartphone test for type 2 diabetes could see diagnosis time cut from weeks or months to less than 10 minutes, experts have said.

NHS trusts in Cumbria and the northeast of England are the first to give patients access to the Diabetes Health Check app, with a nationwide rollout planned for later this year.

The creators of the app at diagnostics company PocDoc added that the test could save the NHS billions.

Approximately 5.2 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes, and a further 1.3 million are thought to be undiagnosed.

The new test, which combines the “gold standard” finger-prick test with a smartphone app, is set to revolutionise preventative treatment for the disease, which costs the NHS £8.8bn a year.

“Enabling screening for type 2 diabetes risk, including blood biomarkers, via a smartphone app, is something that has never been done before,” said Steve Roest, CEO of PocDoc. “This approach doesn’t just improve patient access; it helps ease pressure on frontline services and supports a more sustainable, digitally enabled NHS.”

The new service uses the HbA1c biomarker, which measures average blood glucose levels over the past two to three months.

NHS trusts in Cumbria and the northeast of England are the first to give patients access to the Diabetes Health Check app (PA)

For the test, patients place a finger-prick blood sample on PocDoc’s patented tester, which performs a process known as a microfluidic assay. Then the patient scans the test using the PocDoc app and receives their result almost immediately, in contrast to the current process, which can take weeks or months.

Mr Roest said the app enables earlier detection and prevention, and moves testing and diagnosis into a community or home setting, which aligns with the aims of health secretary Wes Streeting’s 10-year plan for the NHS.

A pilot of the Diabetes Health Check is underway and will be rolled out across the UK later this year, Mr Roest added.

Professor Julia Newton, from Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, said: “Type 2 diabetes impacts thousands of individuals across the UK. But this is a disease which can be easily prevented and reversed through early detection, dietary and lifestyle changes.

“Digital testing services like PocDoc’s will make it easier for thousands of people to identify their risk of this disease, at the touch of a button. We’re delighted to be the first to pilot this revolutionary product in the UK, which has the potential to save thousands of lives.”

https://www.the-independent.com/news/health/diabetes-health-check-app-nhs-b2812882.html