Pre-Diabetes; Are You At Risk?

When your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes, you have a condition known as impaired glucose tolerance, or pre diabetes. Pre diabetes is usually accompanied by insulin resistance, and most people that are diagnosed with it go on to develop type 2 diabetes within a 10 year period.

Are You At Risk?

If you are over 45 years of age, are overweight, have a history of diabetes or gestational diabetes, have high blood pressure or are from a minority group with a higher risk of diabetes (Hispanic, African American, American Indian, Asian American/Pacific Islanders), you are at a higher risk of having pre diabetes and developing diabetes.

Detecting Pre Diabetes

Two tests are mainly used in detecting the presence of pre-diabetes:

In a fasting plasma glucose test, fasting glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dl are considered pre diabetes; higher levels will indicate the presence of diabetes.

In an oral glucose tolerance test, blood glucose levels between 140 and 199 mg/dl are considered pre diabetes; higher levels will indicate the presence of diabetes.

Pre diabetes symptoms are gradual and often go unnoticed. Many people have pre diabetes and diabetes without even knowing it. If any of the risks factor described above apply to you, talk to your doctor about getting tested. Other symptoms that you may notice include increased appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.

Pre Diabetes Treatment The Good News!

Detecting pre diabetes early and following the needed treatment can actually reverse the condition and possibly bring blood glucose levels back to normal. Lifestyle changes are the effective way of treating pre diabetes and delaying or even preventing the development of type 2 diabetes. The health choices that you make on a daily basis can make a huge difference on your diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. If you make the needed lifestyle changes and follow your doctors advice, your will dramatically lower your risks.

The needed lifestyle changes include:

A healthy, low carb diet

Staying physically active.

Loosing weight

Talk to your doctor and come up with a plan that will fit you and your lifestyle best in order to keep pre diabetes under control.

Conclusion

Type 2 diabetes is a dangerous condition that is many times preceded by pre diabetes. Remember that you have the power to do something about it! If you act early and follow the needed lifestyle changes, educate yourself and work with your health care team, you can definitely slow down or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes and the complications associated with it.

For more information on diabetes visit Your Life with Diabetes

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What is diabetes?

A disease in which the body cannot convert food into energy because of a lack of insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas), or because of an inability to use insulin. Diabetes is a serious condition that can cause complications ranging from numbness to loss of vision to coma. It also significantly raises the risk for other problems, such as stroke and heart disease. About 17 million Americans have diabetes.
A hereditary or developmental problem with sugar metabolism. Caused by a failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin. Juvenile diabetes, or type 1 diabetes, is treated with diet, exercise and insulin. Type 2, formerly called adult onset, is now seen in overweight children. It is treated with diet, exercise and medication. In severe cases, type 2 diabetes is also treated with insulin.
A chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as insulin-dependent (type I) and non-insulin dependent (type II). Type I diabetes results from a lack of adequate insulin secretion by the pancreas. Type II diabetes (also known as adult-onset diabetes) is characterized by an insensitivity of the tissues of the body to insulin secreted by the pancreas (insulin resistance).