Over the short term (three to five years), about 25% of people with prediabetes develop full-blown diabetes. The percentage is significantly larger over the long term. Getting the wake-up call of prediabetes can be very useful. A three-part strategy can keep many people with it from ever getting diabetes.
It's common. And most importantly, it's reversible. You can prevent or delay prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes with simple, proven lifestyle changes.
According to an ADA expert panel, up to 70% of individuals with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes.
You can have it for years and not know it. You may also be at higher risk of prediabetes due to: Age (being 45 or older). Parent or sibling with Type 2 diabetes.
The good news about prediabetes is that you still have time to make changes in your life to prevent or delay the development of diabetes. Don't dismiss prediabetes; view it as a serious reason to make healthy lifestyle changes and a chance to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
If you have prediabetes, losing a small amount of weight if you're overweight and getting regular physical activity can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. A small amount of weight loss means around 5% to 7% of your body weight, just 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person.
But between 15% and 35% of people with prediabetes are able to reverse their prediabetes. The key to reversing prediabetes is to make consistent lifestyle changes that lower your blood glucose levels.
Persistently high blood sugar usually means you have diabetes. If HbA1c is more than 48 mmol/mol or fasting blood glucose is more than 11 mmol/L, your blood sugar is high. For most people without diabetes, normal blood sugar levels are: between 4 and to 6 mmol/L before meals.
However, high cortisol levels caused by stress can impact your blood sugar, weight and eating habits. In other words, stress is one of many factors that can contribute to insulin resistance (prediabetes) and diabetes risk.
A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is normal. A reading of more than 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) after two hours means you have diabetes. A reading between 140 and 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L and 11.0 mmol/L) means you have prediabetes.
Target blood sugar levels differ for everyone, but generally speaking: if you monitor yourself at home – a normal target is 4-7mmol/l before eating and under 8.5-9mmol/l two hours after a meal.
The dawn phenomenon is an early-morning rise in blood sugar, also called blood glucose, in people with diabetes. The dawn phenomenon leads to high levels of blood sugar, a condition called hyperglycemia. It usually happens between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Prediabetes can be reversed using medications and lifestyle changes. Reversal focuses on lowering blood sugar levels for six months or longer. However, a prediabetic person should consult their doctor before starting any diabetes treatment reversal methods.
Another group of experts defined remission as having an A1C below 5.7% (the cutoff for prediabetes) and discontinuing all diabetes medications for at least one year.
“The best way to reverse the prediabetes process and for you not to develop Type 2 diabetes is weight loss,” Dr. Avadhanula notes. “As we gain more weight, our cells become more and more resistant to the effects of insulin. And unfortunately, insulin resistance is the first key step in developing Type 2 diabetes.”
Losing weight and reversing prediabetes can take anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, to a few years, but the window of time to reverse prediabetes after a diagnosis is between 2-6 years – so you have time!
Weight. Being overweight is a primary risk factor for prediabetes. The more fatty tissue you have — especially inside and between the muscle and skin around your abdomen — the more resistant your cells become to insulin.
If your body has difficulty metabolizing glucose, it can lead to high blood sugar levels. This can affect your body's ability to heal wounds.
Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated and decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, however, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with higher or lower blood sugar levels.
Your body makes extra blood sugar (glucose) overnight in order to avoid periods of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) while you're sleeping and to give you the energy you need to get out of bed. In people without diabetes, insulin — the hormone that regulates blood sugar — also rises to keep blood sugar stable.
Look out for these surprising triggers that can send your blood sugar soaring: Sunburn—the pain causes stress, and stress increases blood sugar levels. Artificial sweeteners—more research is needed, but some studies show they can raise blood sugar. Coffee—even without sweetener.
Symptoms of high blood sugar
feeling very thirsty. peeing a lot. feeling weak or tired. blurred vision.
Barley or jau water is high in insoluble fibre, which makes it good for diabetics. It is recommended for diabetics as it helps stabilise blood glucose levels. Make sure you drink unsweetened barley water to get effective results. The antioxidant properties of barley water also helps keep many diseases at bay.
What should your blood sugar be when you wake up? Whenever possible, aim to keep your glucose levels in range between 70 and 130 mg/dL in the morning before you eat breakfast, and between 70 and 180 mg/dL at other times.