You have prediabetes symptoms if your blood sugar level is higher than usual. The story is not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. However, prediabetic adults and kids are at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes if their lifestyles are not changed.
The long-term effects of diabetes, particularly those on your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys, may have already begun if you have prediabetes. However, there is good news. It’s not a given that someone with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes.
Your blood sugar level may return to normal with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight. The same lifestyle modifications that may prevent type 2 diabetes in adults may also be used to normalise blood sugar levels in kids.
Symptoms
Prediabetes often has neither symptoms nor indicators.
Darkened skin on specific body areas is one potential indicator of prediabetes. The neck, armpits, and groyne may all be affected.
Traditional warning signs and symptoms indicating type 2 diabetes has replaced prediabetes include:
- Heightened thirst
- Often urinating
- Increased appetite
- Fatigue
- Distorted vision
- Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
- Many infections
- Slowly heaving wounds
- Unwanted loss of weight
Whenever I see a doctor
Consult your doctor if you have diabetes concerns or any type 2 diabetes signs or symptoms. If you have any diabetic risk factors, speak with your doctor about blood sugar testing.
Causes
There is no recognised reason for prediabetes. However, it seems that genetics and family history are significant factors. It is evident that patients with prediabetes no longer adequately digest sugar (glucose).
Your diet accounts for the majority of the glucose in your body. After digestion, sugar gets into your circulation. Insulin reduces blood sugar levels while allowing sugar to enter your cells.
The pancreas, a gland found beneath the stomach, produces insulin. When you eat, your pancreas releases insulin into your blood. The pancreas decreases the release of insulin into the blood when your blood sugar begins to fall.
This technique is less effective if you have prediabetes. Consequently, sugar builds up in your circulation rather than providing energy for your cells. This is feasible because:
- Perhaps your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin.
- Your cells develop insulin resistance and stop absorbing as much sugar.
Risk elements
The same risk factors for type 2 diabetes also raise the possibility of developing prediabetes. These elements consist of:
- Weight. One of the main risk factors for prediabetes is being overweight. Your cells grow more insulin-resistant the more fatty tissue you have, particularly within and between the muscle and skin surrounding your belly.
- Waist circumference. Ample waist size may indicate insulin resistance. Men with waists over 40 inches and women with waists above 35 inches are at an increased risk of developing insulin resistance.
- Diet. An increased risk of prediabetes is linked to consuming red meat, processed meat, and drinks with added sugar.
- Inactivity. Your chance of developing prediabetes increases the less active you are.
- Age. Even though diabetes may occur at any age, the risk of prediabetes rises after age 35.
- Family background. Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes raises your chance of developing prediabetes.
- Ethnicity or race. Certain persons, particularly those who are Black, Hispanic, American Indian, and Asian American, are more prone to acquire prediabetes. However, it is unknown why.
- Pregnancy diabetes. Both you and your kid are at an increased risk of getting prediabetes if you have gestational diabetes.
- Syndrome of polycystic ovaries. Prediabetes is more likely in women with this prevalent illness, which is characterised by irregular menstrual cycles, excessive hair growth, and obesity.
- Sleep. Insulin resistance is more likely in those who have obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that often interrupts sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is more likely to occur in overweight or obese people.
- Cigarette smoke. Smoking may worsen insulin resistance in persons with prediabetes and raise the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Smoking increases your chance of developing diabetes-related problems.
- Additional conditions linked to a higher risk of prediabetes include:
- Elevated blood pressure
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, levels that are too low
- High blood triglyceride levels are a kind of fat.
Diabetes syndrome
Obesity-related disorders linked to insulin resistance may raise your chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Metabolic syndrome is a term used to describe three or more of these disorders together:
- Elevated blood pressure
- Low HDL values
- Elevated triglycerides
- High amounts of blood sugar
- Enormous waist size
Complications
Even if you have not yet developed type 2 diabetes, prediabetes symptoms has been linked to long-term harm to your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys. Diabetes is also associated with quiet (unrecognised) heart attacks.
Type 2 diabetes may develop from prediabetes and cause:
- Elevated blood pressure
- High triglycerides
- Heart condition
- Stroke
- Kidney illness
- Nerve injury
- A fatty liver condition
- Harm to the eyes, including visual loss
- Amputations
Prevention
Even if diabetes runs in your family, adopting a healthy lifestyle may help you avoid prediabetes and its development into type 2 diabetes. These consist of:
- Eating nutritious food
- Getting moving
- Shedding extra pounds
- Managing your cholesterol and blood pressure
- Not a smoker