Signs of prediabetes, its causes and treatment

 

Prediabetes occurs when your blood sugar level is higher than it should be, but not high enough for a doctor to diagnose diabetes. They might call it impaired fasting blood sugar or impaired glucose tolerance.

 

People with type 2 diabetes almost always have prediabetes first. But it usually does not cause symptoms. About 84 million people over age 20 in the United States have prediabetes, but 90% are unaware they have it. Treating prediabetes can prevent more serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes and problems with your heart, blood vessels, eyes, and kidneys.

Symptoms of prediabetes

If you have symptoms, you may notice the following:

Thirst more than usual.

- You pee a lot.

- Your vision is blurry.

- You are more tired than usual.

Darkening of the skin in certain areas of the body, this condition is called acanthosis nigricans. Common areas that can be affected include the neck, armpits, elbows, knees and joints.

 

 

 Causes of prediabetes

Prediabetes occurs when the insulin in your body doesn't work as well as it should. Insulin helps your body's cells use glucose from your blood. And when insulin doesn't work properly, too much glucose builds up in the blood. Higher than normal levels may indicate pre-diabetes. However, if the levels are high enough, you develop type 2 diabetes. High glucose levels can damage blood vessels and nerves. This increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health problems.

You are at risk of developing prediabetes if any of the following conditions are true:

You are overweight or obese.

You had diabetes during pregnancy (called gestational diabetes) or had a baby who weighed more than 20 pounds at birth.

You have high blood pressure (above 140/90 mm Hg).

Your HDL ("good" cholesterol) is too low (less than 40 mg/dL for men or 50 mg/dL for women), or your triglyceride level is over 250 mg/dL.

You are a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

The main cause of prediabetes remains unknown, although family history and genetics play an important role in its development. Researchers have discovered some genes associated with insulin resistance. It also appears that excess fat, particularly in the abdominal region, and inactivity are important factors in the development of prediabetes.

Research has linked sleep problems, such as obstructive sleep apnea, to an increased risk of insulin resistance. Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breathing to stop several times during sleep, resulting in poor sleep quality. Also, people who work shifts or night shifts, which can cause sleep problems, may be at an increased risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

 

 

The risk of prediabetes

Disease progression to type 2 diabetes is the most dangerous consequence of untreated prediabetes because type 2 diabetes can lead to other complications, such as:

- Hypertension.

High cholesterol.

Heart disease.

- brain attack.

- Kidney disease.

- blindness.

- Amputation.

 Tests to detect prediabetes

1- cumulative glucose test

This blood test indicates your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. The test works by measuring the percentage of sugar bound to haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The higher the blood sugar levels, the higher the percentage of sugar-bound haemoglobin.

 

A normal glycated haemoglobin level should be less than 5.7. A glycated haemoglobin test level between 5.7 and 6.4 per cent is considered "pre-diabetes." A level of 6.5 per cent or more on two separate tests indicates diabetes.

2- Fasting sugar test

A blood sample will be collected after fasting for at least eight hours or overnight. Under these circumstances, a blood glucose level of less than 100 mg per deciliter (mg/dL) - 5.6 mmol per litre (mmol/L) - is naturally.

 

If the test results indicate a blood sugar level of 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L), the person is considered prediabetic. This is sometimes called fasting blood glucose (IFG) imbalance.

 

If your blood sugar level is 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher, it may indicate diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

3- Oral glucose tolerance test

This test is rarely used to diagnose diabetes, except during pregnancy. A blood sample is collected after fasting for at least eight hours or overnight. Then you drink a sugar solution and your blood sugar is measured again two hours later.

 

A blood sugar level of less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A blood sugar level of 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes.

 

This is sometimes called impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) or higher may indicate diabetes (diabetes mellitus).

Prediabetes treatment

If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, healthy lifestyle choices can help you bring your blood sugar down to a normal level, or at least prevent it from rising to the levels found in type 2 diabetes. However, some patients develop type 2 diabetes even if they lose weight.

 

Recommendations to help prevent progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes include:

1- Make sure you eat healthy foods and choose foods that are low in fat and calories and high in fibre. Focus on eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive to eat a variety of foods to help you achieve your goals without compromising on taste or nutrition.

This type of diet can be referred to as the Mediterranean diet (Mediterranean diet).

 

2- Get more physical activity with 30 to 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week. Try not to go more than two days without some exercise. The American Diabetes Association recommends resistance training, such as weight lifting, twice a week.

 

3- Lose excess weight If you are overweight, losing 5 to 10 per cent of your body weight can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

 

4. Take medication as needed. For example, your doctor may recommend oral metformin to treat diabetes (Glucophage) if you are at risk. This includes people with a BMI over 35, people under 60, and women with a history of gestational diabetes.

Are there supplements or herbs that treat prediabetes?

Senna, chromium, coenzyme Q10, ginseng, glucomannan, guar gum, sage, magnesium, prickly pear cactus, soy and stevia can all be touted as possible ways to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes, but there is no conclusive evidence that any one of these alternative therapies works.