Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic (long-term) condition that occurs when your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or when your body has trouble using the insulin that it does make. About 1 in 400 young people have this condition. What is insulin? Why is it important? Insulin is a hormone made by a gland called the pancreas. The pancreas is located behind the stomach. Whenever you eat food, your body digests the food (breaks it down) into smaller parts: vitamins, minerals, sugar (called “glucose”), fat, and protein. Your body then uses glucose for energy. Glucose is the body’s major source of energy. Insulin is the hormone that helps glucose enter the cells of your body so it can be used as energy. If your body doesn’t make enough insulin, or if your body has difficulty using the insulin that it makes, the glucose from your food does not get changed into energy. Instead, the glucose stays in your blood, causing your blood glucose (also called “blood sugar”) to rise. Why is high blood sugar a problem? High blood sugar is a problem because it can cause serious damage to the body. Some of the most serious, long term problems are loss of vision, kidney problems, heart problems, damage to circulation and stroke. This kind of damage happens slowly over many years and can be delayed or prevented if you take good care of your diabetes. There are also short-term problems that come from high blood sugar. Some common short term-problems (caused from high blood sugar) are: Being thirsty Having to urinate (pee) more often Feeling irritable or exhausted Weight loss If your blood sugar gets too high due to not having enough insulin, you can experience a very serious condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Signs of ketoacidosis are: Rapid deep breathing Stomach pain or chest pain and/or Continue reading >>
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Early Symptoms Of Diabetes
How can you tell if you have diabetes? Most early symptoms are from higher-than-normal levels of glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood. The warning signs can be so mild that you don't notice them. That's especially true of type 2 diabetes. Some people don't find out they have it until they get problems from long-term damage caused by the disease. With type 1 diabetes, the symptoms usually happen quickly, in a matter of days or a few weeks. They're much more severe, too. Both types of diabetes have some of the same telltale warning signs. Hunger and fatigue. Your body converts the food you eat into glucose that your cells use for energy. But your cells need insulin to bring the glucose in. If your body doesn't make enough or any insulin, or if your cells resist the insulin your body makes, the glucose can't get into them and you have no energy. This can make you more hungry and tired than usual. Peeing more often and being thirstier. The average person usually has to pee between four and seven times in 24 hours, but people with diabetes may go a lot more. Why? Normally your body reabsorbs glucose as it passes through your kidneys. But when diabetes pushes your blood sugar up, your kidneys may not be able to bring it all back in. This causes the body to make more urine, and that takes fluids. You'll have to go more often. You might pee out more, too. Because you're peeing so much, you can get very thirsty. When you drink more, you'll also pee more. Dry mouth and itchy skin. Because your body is using fluids to make pee, there's less moisture for other things. You could get dehydrated, and your mouth may feel dry. Dry skin can make you itchy. Blurred vision. Changing fluid levels in your body could make the lenses in your eyes swell up. They change shape and lose their a Continue reading >>
10 Symptoms Of Diabetes That Are So Subtle You Might Totally Miss Them
Diabetes is a chronic condition where your blood sugar (a.k.a., glucose) is too high, often because your body doesn’t make enough insulin (the hormone that helps you process sugar) or process it well. While you might think you’d recognize something’s up, many people don’t. “Many times when sugars are not extremely high, you may not have symptoms,” says Poorani Goundan, M.D., an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center. “Of the total diabetics in the U.S., a huge proportion are undiagnosed.” That’s why, she says, everyone over the age of 45 and younger people who have risk factors—including being overweight, having a family history of diabetes, or having gestational diabetes during pregnancy—should be screened regularly. (Kick-start your new, healthy routine with Women's Health's 12-Week Total-Body Transformation!) In the meantime, even noticeable diabetes symptoms are often mild and can easily be written off as something else. Here are a few common but sneaky symptoms of diabetes every woman should know about: As with other sign of diabetes, this classic symptom is caused by excess sugar circulating in your body. “When your blood sugar is high, your body is trying to dump it out of your system. Water follows sugar, so you end up having high-volume urine loss,” says Vouyiouklis Kellis, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic. If you notice you’re suddenly peeing more often and in greater volumes for no real reason—especially if you’re waking up a few times during the night to take a whiz—it’s time to talk to your doctor, say both Goundan and Kellis. With all that peeing you’re doing, you’re bound to get dehydrated. “They’re very often tied together. Some patients who don’t know they have diabetes quench their thirst with Continue reading >>
10 Silent Diabetes Symptoms You Might Be Missing
Diabetes has plenty of early signs, but they're subtle enough that you might not notice. Syda Productions/shutterstock "It's not like you wake up one day and all of a sudden you're thirsty, hungry, and [going to the bathroom] all the time," says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, a certified diabetes educator in Illinois and a spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. "It picks up gradually." Indeed, "most people are unaware that they have diabetes in its early or even middle phases," says Aaron Cypess, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and staff physician at Joslin Diabetes Center. Just because you're not keyed in doesn't mean you're immune from problems associated with diabetes, he adds. The longer you go without controlling diabetes, the greater your risk for heart disease, kidney disease, amputation, blindness, and other serious complications. "We recommend that people with risk factors for diabetes, such as a family history or being overweight, get evaluated on a regular basis," Dr. Cypess says. If you've been feeling off, talk to your doctor about getting a simple blood test that can diagnose the disease. And pay attention to these subtle diabetes symptoms and signs. Try these simple tricks for living well with diabetes from people who actually have it. Iryna Kolesova/shutterstock When you have diabetes, your body becomes less efficient at breaking food down into sugar, so you have more sugar sitting in your bloodstream, says Dobbins. "Your body gets rid of it by flushing it out in the urine." So going to the bathroom a lot could be one of the diabetes symptoms you're missing. Most patients aren't necessarily aware of how often they use the bathroom, says Dr. Cypess. "When we ask about it, we often hear, 'Oh yeah, I guess I Continue reading >>
Diabetes Symptoms And Warning Signs In Women
Diabetes can happen at any age, though type 2 diabetes is more common in those over 45 years of age. Many of the risks for diabetes are the same between men and women, but there are some differences. The risk of developing diabetes is higher for people who: Are overweight or obese Are do not lead active lives Have high levels of fats called triglycerides, low levels of "good" cholesterol, or both Are a member of a high-risk race or ethnicity Have a history of high blood sugar Have a first-degree relative with diabetes Have conditions that are associated with the body not using insulin effectively (insulin resistance) Contents of this article: Women and diabetes One condition that is unique to women and linked to the body not using insulin effectively (insulin resistance) is polycystic ovarian syndrome. In this condition, the ovaries become enlarged and are unable to release eggs properly. Other unique risk factors include a history of gestational diabetes or having given birth to a baby weighing over 9 pounds. According to the National Institutes of Heath (NIH), close to one-third of women with diabetes do not know they have the disease. It is recommended that screening for adults of both genders be done in those over the age of 45 who are overweight or obese and who have one of the risk factors listed above. On the other hand, men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women. The exact reasons why are unclear, however. One possible reason could be that men tend to carry their weight in the belly area more often than women, which can increase insulin resistance. Men are also more likely than women to develop heart disease as a result of their diabetes. The risks become relatively similar between the sexes once women reach menopause. Complications of diabetes fo Continue reading >>
Signs & Symptoms
Early Detection It is important to know the signs and symptoms of diabetes to detect the disease early and get it under control before any irreversible damage is done to the body. Recent studies indicate that early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the chance of developing complications from the disease. Diabetes has often been referred to as a "silent disease" for two reasons: 1) Many people with Type 2 diabetes walk around with symptoms for many years, but are not diagnosed until they develop a complication of the disease, such as blindness, kidney disease, or heart disease; 2) There are no specific physical manifestations in individuals with diabetes. Therefore, unless a person chooses to disclose their disease, it is possible that friends and even family members may be unaware of a person's diagnosis. Diabetes is detected through a blood glucose test, and experts recommend that Americans over age 35 with a family history of diabetes or other risk factors (such as being overweight) should consider asking their physicians for a blood test annually. The earlier diabetes is detected, the earlier complications may be treated and/or prevented. Common signs/symptoms (for Type 1, Type 2, Type 1.5, Pre-diabetes, Gestational Diabetes) Unexplained weight loss is one of the common type 1 diabetes symptoms in women. With this type of diabetes, the body is unable to use all the calories that the food provides, even though the person follows a healthy diet. Due to this, the person loses weight, even without trying to do so. Another symptom that is seen in both types of diabetes is the feeling the need to visit the washroom frequently. The body tries to get rid of the excess sugar through the urine and hence, one feels the need to urinate within very short periods of Continue reading >>
Signs Of Diabetes In Women
Women are just as likely to develop diabetes as men. In addition, they have their own type of diabetes: gestational diabetes is specific to pregnant women only. The signs and symptoms of the three types of diabetes women may develop are similar, and may appear at various stages throughout the disease. Being aware of the signs can not only help diagnose diabetes in women but can help avoid potentially serious complications of the disease. Video of the Day Diabetic ketoacidosis is responsible for a number of diabetes symptoms, the first of which is excessive thirst. Excessive thirst associated with diabetes is not the same as just being thirsty. Rather, you may feel your thirst is insatiable. No matter how much water or other liquids you drink, you may still feel parched. Diabetic ketoacidosis can also lead to unusual levels of fatigue. This type of fatigue is more than just a feeling of tiredness. Rather, you may feel like you can barely keep your eyes open. Fatigue associated with diabetes may also leave you feeling weak, and make movement and activity difficult. Women with type 1 diabetes, sometimes referred to as juvenile diabetes, lose the ability to make enough insulin for proper breakdown of food. Without this ability, little sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream and weight loss can follow. During pregnancy, the body's need for insulin may increase beyond what it can produce. While this is not often discovered until the second or third trimester, rapid or excessive weight gain beyond what is expected during pregnancy can be an indicator of gestational diabetes. Diabetes may also affect how efficiently the kidneys function. Urinary frequency that is unusual can be an indicator of too much glucose in the bloodstream. This can occur when insulin levels are not suffic Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms In Women
The reality is that early signs of diabetes in women are not always as easy to detect as you may think. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the pancreas stops producing a hormone that allows the body to draw energy from food called insulin. Its onset has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There’s nothing you can do to prevent it and—currently—there is no cure. Signs of diabetes in women may occur suddenly Diabetes symptoms in women—and men—generally come on quickly. The primary difference between the two is that women may experience vaginal yeast infections as a warning sign. Here are some other symptoms of type 1 diabetes that you may want to watch out for: More frequent bathroom breaks: When your body is overloaded with too much sugar the result is feeling a need to urinate more often than normal. Feeling very thirsty: The end result of urinating more frequently is dehydration, which means you may find yourself feeling extreme thirst. You may also experience itchy skin. Hunger and drowsiness: If your body isn’t making enough insulin you won’t be able to get the energy you need from food. This can make you feel hungry and—understandably—lethargic. Fruity or sweet-smelling breath: This occurs when you have high level of ketones in the blood, which can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis if left untreated. Other symptoms of type 1 diabetes in women Some other warning signs you should look out for include unexpected weight loss, blurred vision, labored breathing and nausea or vomiting. Diabetes is a serious disease so it’s important to pay attention to your body—and to see a doctor if you think you’re experiences any signs. Your support is more critical than ever Continue reading >>
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Diabetes In Men And Women Early Symptoms And Signs
Men with diabetes may experience sexual problems like erectile dysfunction ( ED , impotence ), retrograde ejaculation , and low testosterone ( low-T ). Specific problems that affect women with diabetes include: An increased risk for vaginal yeast infections An increased risk of urinary tract infections ( UTIs ) Complications of diabetes that occur over the long term in both men and women include nerve damage , decreases in vision, kidney damage, and an increased risk of heart disease , vascular disease , and stroke . What Is Diabetes? What Are Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes? Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by elevated levels of blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is normally is used as a source of energy for the body. The hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, is necessary for the bodys cells to utilize glucose for energy. Diabetes occurs when the body either does not produce any or enough insulin, or becomes resistant to the insulin that is produced. Type 1 diabetes is the less-common form of diabetes. It occurs because the bodys immune system attacks the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin, resulting in an insufficient amount of insulin. Type 1 diabetes was formerly referred to as juvenile diabetes because it most often is most is diagnosed in childhood. Treatment for this type of diabetes involves the administration of insulin in injection form. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. It accounts for about 85% of cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was formerly referred to as adult-onset diabetes because it most often is diagnosed in adults. However, the incidence of type 2 diabetes in children and teens has been increasing due to dietary factors and the rise in childhood obesity . Type 2 diabetes occurs because the body has become resistant Continue reading >>
Could You Have Type 2? 10 Diabetes Symptoms
Diabetes symptoms Diabetes affects 24 million people in the U.S., but only 18 million know they have it. About 90% of those people have type 2 diabetes. In diabetes, rising blood sugar acts like a poison. Diabetes is often called the silent killer because of its easy-to-miss symptoms. "Almost every day people come into my office with diabetes who don't know it," says Maria Collazo-Clavell, MD, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. The best way to pick up on it is to have a blood sugar test. But if you have these symptoms, see your doctor. Watch the video: 5 Ways to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Increased urination, excessive thirst If you need to urinate frequently—particularly if you often have to get up at night to use the bathroom—it could be a symptom of diabetes. The kidneys kick into high gear to get rid of all that extra glucose in the blood, hence the urge to relieve yourself, sometimes several times during the night. The excessive thirst means your body is trying to replenish those lost fluids. These two symptoms go hand in hand and are some of "your body's ways of trying to manage high blood sugar," explains Dr. Collazo-Clavell. Weight loss Overly high blood sugar levels can also cause rapid weight loss, say 10 to 20 pounds over two or three months—but this is not a healthy weight loss. Because the insulin hormone isn't getting glucose into the cells, where it can be used as energy, the body thinks it's starving and starts breaking down protein from the muscles as an alternate source of fuel. The kidneys are also working overtime to eliminate the excess sugar, and this leads to a loss of calories (and can harm the kidneys). "These are processes that require a lot of energy," Dr. Collazo-Clavell notes. "You create a calorie deficit." Hunger Continue reading >>
Early Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes In Women
Diabetes often strikes women differently due to a number of reasons, primary among them being the hormonal variations between men and women. Inflammation also acts differently in women. Considering that type 2 diabetes is a disease of chronic low-grade inflammation, it follows that warning signs, as well as disease progression in women, are different significantly, if not vastly. Diabetes is one of the biggest lifestyle diseases we see today. In just 25 years, the global incidence of diabetes has doubled, according to the World Health Organization. More than 15 million women are living with type 2 diabetes in the United States alone and another 40 million are prediabetic, according to CDC (Center for Disease Control) statistics of 2017. Symptoms of Diabetes in Women While many signs and symptoms of diabetes are common in men and women, women experience certain unique symptoms. These are: Vaginal and Oral Infections Overgrowth of a yeast called Candida albicans causes vaginal and oral yeast infections, called “thrush.” High levels of glucose in the blood are favorable for the growth of this yeast. Vaginal infections are accompanied by symptoms like soreness, itching, vaginal discharge and pain during sex. When the infection is oral, a cottage cheese-like coating is seen on the tongue and the inside of the mouth. Urinary Tract Infections The risk of UTIs is higher in women with diabetes. UTIs occur when bacteria gain access to the urinary tract, where they colonize and cause infection. Signs and symptoms include painful urination, burning sensation while urination, fever and cloudy (sometimes bloody) urine. High blood glucose levels, poor circulation and the inability of immune cells to effectively fight bacteria are all causes of UTIs. Poor Sexual Health High levels Continue reading >>
Early Symptoms Of Diabetes
What are the symptoms of diabetes? Although the signs of diabetes can begin to show early, sometimes it takes a person a while to recognize the symptoms. This often makes it seem like signs and symptoms of diabetes appear suddenly. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your body, rather than simply brushing them off. To that end, here are some type 1 and type 2 diabetes symptoms that you may want to watch out for: If you’re experiencing frequent urination your body might be telling you that your kidneys are trying to expel excess sugar in your blood. The resulting dehydration may then cause extreme thirst. Along the same lines, the lack of available fluids may also give you dry mouth and itchy skin. If you experience increased hunger or unexpected weight loss it could be because your body isn’t able to get adequate energy from the food you eat. High blood sugar levels can affect blood flow and cause nerve damage, which makes healing difficult. So having slow-healing cuts/sores is also a potential sign of diabetes. Yeast infections may occur in men and women who have diabetes as a result of yeast feeding on glucose. Other signs of diabetes Pay attention if you find yourself feeling drowsy or lethargic; pain or numbness in your extremities; vision changes; fruity or sweet-smelling breath which is one of the symptoms of high ketones; and experiencing nausea or vomiting—as these are additional signs that something is not right. If there’s any question, see your doctor immediately to ensure that your blood sugar levels are safe and rule out diabetes. So what are the low blood sugar symptoms you should look out for? It’s important to realize that the signs of… Polyuria occurs when your body urinates more frequently—and often in larger amounts—than Continue reading >>
Diabetes Symptoms In Women | Prevention
1 Youve been getting UTIs more regularly. If youve always been prone to UTIs or other vaginal infections, dont freak. But if youve noticed an uptick, that may be a sign of underlying diabetes, says Daniel Hsia , MD, an assistant research professor at PBRC. High blood sugar levels create an environment that makes these infections more likely, Hsia explains. In particular, watch out for yeast infections, he says. Yeast feeds on sugar, so they tend to thrive when blood-sugar levels are elevated. (Psst! These 9 highly effective solutions for a vaginal yeast infection can help.) People with diabetes often describe being very thirsty, Silver says. When your blood sugar levels are high, the amount of sodium in your blood tends to drop. Sodium helps your body hold onto water, so a drop in blood sodium can increase thirst, research shows . Drinking water will resolve the issue temporarily. But if you feel like youre much thirstier than you used to be (even though youre drinking the same amount of water) thats a warning sign. Blood glucose can get into the lens of the eye and distort vision, Silver says. People have blurry vision and think they need glassesor neednewglassesbut when their blood sugar goes down, the blurry vision goes away. Carbohydrate-loaded foods like fruit and bread tend to elevate blood sugar among diabetics. If you notice your vision gets funky after eating those foods, thats another red flag. This one goes hand in hand with feeling dehydrated, Silver says. As elevated blood sugar causes a drop in blood sodium, your body will struggle to stay hydrated even if youre drinking tons of H20. Rather than retain that water, you end up peeing much of it out, she explains. Dehydration can lead to muddled thinking or confusion, Silver says. So that alone could explain Continue reading >>
Diabetes Symptoms In Women
What symptoms and signs of diabetes are the same for women and men? What is diabetes? What is prediabetes? Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that occurs when your blood sugar (glucose), is too high (hyperglycemia). Glucose is what the body uses for energy, and the pancreas produces a hormone called insulin that helps convert the glucose from the food you eat into energy. When the body does not produce enough insulin - or does not produce any at all - the glucose does not reach your cells to be used for energy. This results in diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, formerly called juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune condition in which the body does not produce insulin because the body's immune system attacks insulin-producing cells from the pancreas called beta cells. Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which cells cannot use blood sugar (glucose) efficiently for energy. This occurs when blood sugar gets too high over time, and the cells become insensitive to insulin. Prediabetes (sometimes spelled pre-diabetes) is a condition that often precedes type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Prediabetes does not usually have any symptoms so there may be no warning signs. A blood test can confirm if you have prediabetes. If a person does not change their diet and lifestyle, prediabetes can become type 2 diabetes within 5 years. What signs and symptoms are unique to women with diabetes? Many type 1 and type 2 diabetes symptoms in women are the same as those in men; however, there are some symptoms and complications of diabetes unique to women. Vaginal itching and pain as well as vaginal and oral yeast infections: An overgrowth of Candida albicans fungus can cause vaginal yeast infections and oral yeas Continue reading >>
7 Warning Signs Of Type 2 Diabetes
1 / 8 What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes? More than 100 million American adults are living with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the number of people who know they have the diseases — which can lead to life-threatening complications, like blindness and heart disease — is far lower. Data from the CDC suggests that of the estimated 30.3 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, 7.2 million, or 1 in 4 adults living with the disease, are not aware of it. And among those people living with prediabetes, only 11.6 percent are aware that they have the disease. Prediabetes is marked by higher than normal blood sugar levels — though not high enough to qualify as diabetes. The CDC notes that this condition often leads to full-blown type 2 diabetes within five years if it's left untreated through diet and lifestyle modifications. Type 2 diabetes, which is often diagnosed when a person has an A1C of at least 7 on two separate occasions, can lead to potentially serious issues, like neuropathy, or nerve damage; vision problems; an increased risk of heart disease; and other diabetes complications. A person’s A1C is the two- to three-month average of his or her blood sugar levels. According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may use other tests to diagnose diabetes. For example, they may conduct a fasting blood glucose test, which is a blood glucose test done after a night of fasting. While a fasting blood sugar level of less than 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is normal, one that is between 100 to 125 mg/dL signals prediabetes, and a reading that reaches 126 mg/dL on two separate occasions means you have diabetes. People with full-blown type 2 diabetes are not able to use the h Continue reading >>
