Diabetes or high blood sugar is a metabolic disorder that hinders the body’s capacity to use food as energy. It is defined by increased blood glucose levels caused by the body’s inability to make insulin. Below are some must-know information about diabetes.
Diabetes affects millions of Americans each year. About 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes yearly.
If left untreated, diabetes can be very dangerous. It can eventually damage the eyes, heart, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.
There are three types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes, is a condition that’s common among children. In this particular type of diabetes, the immune system damages the pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. This leads to increased sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Just like type 1 diabetes, it is characterized by high sugar levels in the bloodstream.
However, in type 2 diabetes, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin for the body to use the glucose in the bloodstream for energy. It is not damaged by the immune system.
Type 2 diabetes can easily be acquired through an unhealthy lifestyle. The popularity of processed and sugar-laden foods contributes to the increasing number of individuals diagnosed with this particular type of diabetes.
The third kind of diabetes is gestational diabetes, which is a condition that’s acquired during pregnancy.
Knowing the symptoms can help manage the condition and prevent severe health illnesses.
Here are the various critical diabetes symptoms and signs that you should know about.
7. Always Feeling Tired
People with diabetes usually feel tired since their cells cannot use insulin to absorb glucose in the blood. What happens is that the glucose stays in the blood, causing high blood sugar or hyperglycemia.
The body could have used the glucose for fuel, but since the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, the body ends up using other sources of energy. This can make the individual feel very tired.
6. Excessive Hunger
Blood sugar spikes can cause the individual to feel hungry all the time. Blood sugar fluctuations can mimic the sensation of hunger, causing the individual to develop a craving.
When the blood sugar levels are high, insulin is unable to use glucose to fuel the body. This causes the muscles and other tissues to send a message throughout the body that they are hungry.
5. Increased Feeling Of Thirst And Urination
When the blood sugar levels are up, the individual is more likely to get dehydrated. This is because the kidneys are working overtime to excrete the excess glucose in the urine. The kidneys end up dragging fluids from the other tissues, causing the individual to experience an increased feeling of thirst.
Increased feeling of thirst causes the individual to drink more fluids which can lead to increased urination.
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