From essentiahealth.org
Type 2 diabetes can sneak up on you. Why? Prediabetes, the condition that often comes first, is stealthy. It usually doesn’t cause symptoms, enabling it to go undetected.
Symptoms can occur, though, and identifying them can help you bring prediabetes out of the shadows. Learn how to spot the warning signs and get a head start on preventing Type 2 diabetes.
What Is Prediabetes?
You have prediabetes if your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. In other words, you don’t have diabetes, but without taking action, your blood sugar may keep rising toward those levels.
Medical providers typically diagnose prediabetes using a pair of blood tests.
| Test | Normal Range | Prediabetes | Type 2 Diabetes |
| Fasting plasma glucose | 99 or lower | 100 to 125 | 126 or higher |
| A1C | Lower than 5.7% | 5.7% to 6.4% | 6.5% or higher |
“The main cause of prediabetes is difficulty making or responding appropriately to insulin, depending on the type of diabetes you are developing,” said Dr. Ryan Morgan, family medicine physician at Essentia Health. “Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar travel from your blood to your cells, which turn it into energy. Prediabetes usually happens when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use insulin effectively. As a result, sugar stays in the blood, and your blood sugar levels rise.”
Be Risk Aware
The vast majority of the 115.2 million U.S. adults with prediabetes don’t know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Knowing your risk of developing prediabetes can stop this condition from keeping you in the dark. How? You can inform your primary care provider (PCP) about your risk factors. Your PCP can help you reduce them and monitor your health closely for signs of prediabetes or diabetes.
You have a higher risk of prediabetes if you –
- Are age 45 or older
- Are Asian American, African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander American
- Aren’t physically active
- Had heart disease or a stroke
- Had gestational diabetes
- Have a family history of diabetes
- Have a higher body weight
- Have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, or polycystic ovary syndrome
Prediabetes Warning Signs: What to Watch For
In most cases, prediabetes doesn’t cause any symptoms. Still, knowing what to look for can help you identify warning signs if they occur.
“The sooner you spot potential prediabetes symptoms and take action, the better,” Dr. Morgan said. “In addition to increasing your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes also raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.”
Left untreated, prediabetes can turn into diabetes within five years, the CDC reports. If you notice signs of prediabetes, don’t delay. Tell your PCP, who can confirm the diagnosis and recommend how to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
Watch for these seven prediabetes warning signs:
1. Blurry Vision
The eyes are some of the many tissues from which high blood sugar can steal fluid. When that happens, your eyes can struggle to focus.
2. Fatigue
Excess sugar that stays in your blood doesn’t get converted into energy. That can leave you feeling drained.
3. Frequent Urination
Excess sugar may enter your urine, robbing your tissues of fluid along the way. The result: You feel thirstier, leading you to drink (and urinate) more.
4. More Active Appetite
If you don’t have enough insulin, insufficient sugar reaches your cells. As a result, your brain tells you to eat more, making you hungrier than normal.
5. Poor Healing
If you get a cut or scrape, it needs oxygen-carrying blood to heal. High blood sugar can disrupt blood circulation, slowing healing.
6. Rapid Weight Loss
This happens because cells are not getting the fuel they need, so they start using fat cells for energy.
7. Skin Changes
“Insulin resistance can cause a skin condition called acanthosis nigricans,” Dr. Morgan said. “People with this condition may see their skin darken in their armpits and groin, or on their neck, hands, or knees.”
Throw Prediabetes in Reverse
If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, the march toward diabetes isn’t unstoppable.
“You can change course,” Dr. Morgan said. “Partner with your PCP, who can help you create a plan to reverse prediabetes.”
Your PCP will likely recommend healthy lifestyle changes, including these steps –
- Avoid blood sugar-spiking foods and beverages. These include foods high in added sugar (such as candy and baked goods), simple carbohydrates (such as chips and white bread), and sugary beverages (such as fruit juice and soda).
- Give your diet a healthy makeover. Eat more foods that slow glucose absorption, which can reduce your body’s demand for insulin and stabilize your blood sugar. These foods include vegetables, healthy proteins (such as Greek yogurt and skinless chicken), and complex carbohydrates (such as brown rice and sweet potatoes).
- Lose weight. Dropping excess pounds can enhance your body’s use of insulin and improve other conditions that contribute to prediabetes, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
- Move more. Work up to performing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. Regular physical activity will help you lose weight and improve heart health.
Key Takeaways
Prediabetes increases your risk of diabetes but doesn’t make it inevitable. Here’s what to know –
- Prediabetes occurs when your blood sugar levels are too high but still below the threshold to qualify as diabetes.
- Most people with prediabetes don’t have symptoms, but several may occur, including fatigue, an increased appetite, blurry vision, and more.
- You can reverse prediabetes by building healthy habits, such as exercising regularly and following a nutritious diet.
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