Feeling very hungry even though you are eating. See your doctor if you notice any signs or symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can start quickly, within a matter of weeks. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes usually appear slowly over several years and may be so mild that you may not even notice them.
Many people with type 2 diabetes don't have symptoms. Some people don't discover they have the disease until they have diabetes-related health problems, such as blurred vision or heart problems. According to the CDC, more than 9% of Americans are living with diabetes. This disease is increasingly common, and 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year.
Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the level of blood sugar (blood glucose) is too high and may be due to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes) or an inability to produce insulin (type 1 diabetes). Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed during childhood. In contrast, type 2 diabetes can develop at any age, but it is more common in older populations. Prediabetes occurs when the blood sugar level is identified as higher than normal, but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes.
Changes can be made to reduce the chance that the disease will progress to type 2 diabetes. When your blood sugar level is high, your kidneys expel excess sugar from your blood, causing you to urinate more often. One of the first warning signs of diabetes is frequent urination, which is urgent enough to wake you up to go to the bathroom while you sleep. While your kidneys work overtime and you urinate more often, valuable fluids will be removed from your tissues.
Frequent urination will make you constantly feel thirsty. When your blood sugar level is high, your body works hard to get rid of excess sugar. This process not only affects the body, but it also alters how the body uses glucose for energy. An excessively high blood sugar level, or hyperglycemia, has fatiguing effects, among other symptoms.
In addition, the dehydration that accompanies more frequent urination is a common cause of fatigue in diabetics. With the release of excess glucose, you lose your greatest source of energy and, when your body cannot use glucose for energy, it starts to burn fat and muscle, leading to weight loss. Unexplained weight loss is considered significant at 10 pounds or 5% of total body weight. Like damaged eye tissue that causes blurred vision, damaged blood vessels weaken blood circulation.
Because of this, it is more difficult for blood to reach the affected area, and minor cuts or wounds may take weeks or months to heal. This slow healing makes unhealed cuts and wounds prone to infection, increasing the risk of amputation. The American Diabetes Association has a risk test that can help you determine if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The other two main ones are type 1, in which the body stops producing insulin, and gestational, which occurs in pregnant women.
Glucose, a sugar, is the main source of energy for cells that make up muscles and other tissues.
