We need energy to survive, and we obtain most of our energy from the foods we eat. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how our body turns food into energy. Our body breaks down the food we eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into the bloodstream. When our blood sugar rises, it signals the pancreas to release insulin, which is responsible for allowing glucose into the cells to be utilized as energy. In those with diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should. When there is not enough insulin, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream.
If you have diabetes, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control:
- More than 37 million US adults have diabetes, and one in five may not even know they have it.
- Diabetes is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States.
- It is the number one cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputation, and adult blindness.
- In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.
This article, the first in a series relating to diabetes education, breaks down the three types of diabetes, discusses the cause, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and knowing how to manage the condition.
Prediabetes
If you are diagnosed with prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be categorized into type 2 diabetes. The cells in your body are not responding normally to insulin so your pancreas produces more insulin trying to get the cells to respond. Eventually, the pancreas can’t keep up and your blood sugar rises. Prediabetes raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, but at this stage, lifestyle changes can reverse the risks!
Three Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes
This type of diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake). This reaction can stop your body from making insulin. Symptoms from type 1 diabetes often develop quickly and it is typically diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. Those with type 1 diabetes are insulin-dependent and need to take insulin every day. They also must incorporate lifestyle changes into their daily lives.
An important aspect to remember for type 1 diabetes is that even though it is more common in younger ages, it can occur in adults. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that five to ten percent of adults diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body does not use insulin well enough, struggling to keep blood sugar levels under control. The Centers for Disease Control estimate that 90-95 percent of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed more often in adults than children and young adults. The condition does not come on suddenly, it develops over many years. Often symptoms are not apparent so speak with your health care provider and get regularly scheduled physicals and blood tests.
Gestational Diabetes
This type of diabetes develops in pregnant women who may have never been diagnosed with diabetes. The National Institute of Health reports that hormones produced by the placenta can contribute to insulin resistance, which occurs in all women during late pregnancy. Most women can produce enough insulin to overcome this, but some are not able. The condition can go away after the baby is born but it is important for an expectant mother to work with her obstetrician to be aware of sugar levels. Women with gestational diabetes are more at risk for health problems, it can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, and can pose a risk for the child to also develop type 2 diabetes later in their life.
Test to Determine if You Have Diabetes
When determining if you are at risk or may have diabetes, it is important to speak with your health care provider who will look at your family history, your current health status, and order testing. Testing is very important because approximately one in three American adults have prediabetes and more than 80% don’t know they have it. There are a variety of testing tools to determine if you have diabetes.
A1C Testing
- Below 5.7% is normal.
- Between 5.7 and 6.4% indicate you have prediabetes.
- A 6.5% or higher indicates you have diabetes.
Fasting Blood Sugar Level Test
- A reading of 99 mg/dL or lower is normal.
- A reading of 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes.
- A reading of 126 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes.
Glucose tolerance test.
This test requires overnight fasting. After an initial blood draw, you will drink a liquid and then have blood draws at one-hour, two-hour, and possibly three-hour intervals. At two hours, blood sugar levels are measured.
- A reading of 140 mg/dL or lower is normal.
- A reading of 140 to 199 mg/dL indicates prediabetes.
- A reading of 200 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes.
Randon Blood Sugar Test
This measures your blood sugar at the time of testing. This can be taken at any time but always remember, you may not have been fasting and that could affect blood sugar levels.
- A blood sugar level of 200 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes Testing
The presence of gestational diabetes is diagnosed using blood tests that occur between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Blood sugar that is higher than normal early in pregnancy may indicate the presence of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It is important to consult with your obstetrician and follow their orders to take the test when indicated.
Other Tests
If your health care provider feels you may have type 1 diabetes, they may order that your blood be tested for autoantibodies (indication your body is attacking itself) that are sometimes present in type 1 diabetes but not type 2. You may also be asked to give a urine sample to test for ketones (produced when your body burns fat for energy), which also indicates type 1 diabetes.
Diabetes Health Tip
About half of all people with diabetes have some kind of nerve damage. The damage can be anywhere in your body but the nerves in your legs and feet are most affected. It is important to check your feet every day; wash your feet every day; never go barefoot; don’t remove corns or calluses yourself; put your feet up when sitting and wiggle your ankles and toes; and get your feet checked by a healthcare provider.
Diabetes Health Series
This article is the first in a series relating to diabetes education, breaks down the three types of diabetes, discusses the cause, risk factors, signs and symptoms, and how to manage the condition.
As part of living a healthier life, RPM Healthcare offers remote patient monitoring and care coaching services for those with diabetes and other health conditions. This series on diabetes, the RPM365 platform, and care coaches are aimed at working with you to achieve a healthy lifestyle and assist in helping you manage your diabetes, and other health conditions that can affect your everyday life. Visit RPM365.com for more information and to sign up for our free monthly webinars.
All health content is reviewed by Irina Koyfman, DNP, NP-C, RN, Chief Population Health Officer, RPM Healthcare.