Symptoms Of Pre-Diabetes
Pre – diabetes is also sometimes referred to as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). It is a serious condition in which your cells begin to develop a resistance to the insulin released by your pancreas. This leads to a gradual buildup of blood sugar levels and a slew of health problems.
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People with type 2 diabetes almost always had prediabetes first. About 84 million people over age 20 in the U.S. have prediabetes, but 90% don’t know they have it. Over time, if left neglected and untreated, blood sugar levels will get worse and lead to Diabetes type 2 (DT2). Today, the reasons why pre – diabetes develops in so many people in the first place is very clear. Extensive research and studies over the years have confirmed that there are a few key culprits involved: Genetic inheritance from an immediate relative, sedentary lifestyle, and poor dietary choices. People of all ages and various ethnicities are potentially susceptible to this disease, but the risk factor begins to increase once you reach the age of 45.
Additional risk factors include: Obesity, a BMI of over 25, smoking tobacco or marijuana which causes excessive hunger and leads to weight gain, consuming an excessive amount of processed meats, carbs and sugars everyday, and a medical history of other conditions that can lead to pre – diabetes, such as PCOS, excessive stress, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, low HDL levels (good cholesterol) and several others.
Additional Important Info Regarding Pre - Diabetes
Unfortunately, Pre- Diabetes often goes unnoticed for some time, especially in less developed countries that don’t have easy access to healthcare. Mainly, this can happen because Pre – diabetes does not always cause symptoms, many of these symptoms are often overlooked or ignored, and they can occur in many other conditions.
Thankfully, Pre – diabetes and Diabetes type 2 caught early on is reversible if the proper steps are promptly taken. There are a few kinds of tests that your healthcare provider can administer to check if you do indeed have pre – diabetes or full-on Diabetes: The Hemoglobin A1C test, the Fasting plasma glucose test, and the Oral glucose tolerance test. Don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor to learn more information about these tests, and which foods you should add and eliminate from your diet to help manage the condition.
Listed below are the most common signs and symptoms of Pre- Diabetes that should never be ignored.
Excessive Thirst And Frequent Urination
It’s perfectly normal and natural to feel thirsty if you haven’t had any water for a while, along with needing to urinate once every number of hours during the day. However, if the thirst and urge to urinate doesn’t have an explanation, becomes too frequent everyday and chronically wakes you up every night, even though you haven’t had a lot to drink, then this is a telltale sign that your body is trying to flush out all the excess sugars in your blood that failed to enter your cells for energy due to their insulin resistance. This process uses a considerable amount of fluids, thus leading to a vicious cycle of thirst and urination.
Heavy Fatigue And Increased Feelings Of Hunger
Feeling sleepy and hungry periodically are also very healthy and normal. However, when deep fatigue and abnormal hunger occur, even after wholesome meals and sufficient sleep, then this is a cause for concern. These symptoms are also very common amongst those who are pre- diabetic. These symptoms occur because the cells are not getting the fuel they need to provide the body with enough energy, due to the aforementioned problem of blood cells steadily becoming resistant to the insulin that your pancreas secretes. Therefore, the sugars and carbs that you eat can’t enter them.
Blurry Vision And Tingling Sensations
Eventually, as a result of increasing blood sugar levels, your eyes and nerve endings may start to deteriorate and get damaged as well. So if your vision suddenly changes or your feet and hands get that pins and needles sensation for no apparent reason, it’s time to get tested.
If the pre – diabetes continues to spiral out of control and becomes DT2, this can have devastating consequences on your eyes and limbs – You can go partially or completely blind due to cataracted eyes, and in extreme cases, you may even have to have a hand or foot amputated due to destroyed nerves. (peripheral neuropathy).
Chronic Illness And Slow - Healing Injuries
With Pre – Diabetes, you’re at a higher risk of getting sick with viral and bacterial infections more often, along with cuts, bruises and other forms of injury that heal slower than normal. This can happen because invading bacteria thrive on the built-up blood sugar, which then overwhelms the body’s immune system and reduces its ability to fight off the infection. Wounds take longer to heal because the increased sugar level causes cell inflammation, which shuts out much of the essential oxygen and nutrients that the cell needs to energize itself and promote healing.
Final Thoughts
It goes without saying that Pre – Diabetes should be seen as a warning sign and a call to action, as it can become a life-threatening condition if left unchecked. Diabetes type 2 can lead to a host of health complications, including stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, vision loss and nerve damage.
For this reason, if you have any of these symptoms, you should get tested as soon as possible, as early detection can make all the difference. If you are diagnosed with pre- diabetes, it’s vital to take prescribed medication and make both dietary and lifestyle changes right away to keep your blood sugar levels and symptoms under control, thus preventing further progression of the disease.
