Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms Common In Men
Type 2 diabetes symptoms are generally the same for men and women, but urological problems such as erectile dysfunction the inability to achieve or maintain an erection are associated only with men.
Previous research suggests men with diabetes are up to three times more likely to develop ED than those who do not have the disease.
Can Eating Too Much Sugar Cause Diabetes
Eating too much sugar for long periods of time places stress on the pancreas to produce a lot of insulin. Too much stress can damage the ability to produce quality insulin and contribute to your increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Be active, enjoy a varied and healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight and consume sugar sporadically.
Am I Going To Lose My Toes To Diabetes
Blood vessel diseases and damage to the arteries of the legs are a serious complication of both types of diabetes . The risk of damage to blood vessels can be lowered by maintaining the right levels of blood sugar for you. If you want to prevent these complications from diabetes then the lifestyle factors are paramount.
If you already have poor circulation from either types of diabetes or maybe you have spent too much time in your younger days cigarette smoking then your podiatrist will be able to help still. Wearing the right socks, shoes and orthotics can all reduce your risk of losing toes to diabetes.
A scary thing to hear can be that diabetes under control can still lead to poor circulation. Your podiatrist will be able to manage this risk down again and keep your toes safe. Working with a multi disciplinary team theyll keep your feet in good condition.
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Impact Of Genes On Type 2 Diabetes
Genetic variants that affect insulin function, cellular metabolism, and energy balance have been identified as candidates for T2D development. Large-scale genome-wide studies have established strong genetic predictors of T2D, in genes that play an important role in regulating blood sugar levels through different mechanisms maintaining proinsulin: insulin ratio, pancreatic beta-cell functioning and fasting plasma glucose, metabolic profile, lipid levels, food intake and energy balance, fat storage, transport and metabolism, beta islet cell proliferation, potassium channel current, insulin exocytosis, caloric intake/expenditure, weight regulation energy balance and adipose metabolism.
Early Signs And Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your body doesnât make enough of a hormone called insulin or doesnât use insulin the way it should. Insulin helps carry glucose to your cells. So when thereâs a problem with the insulin, glucose builds up in your blood. Youâve probably heard this called high blood sugar.
About 90% of people who have diabetes have type 2. The other two main ones are type 1, in which your body stops making insulin, and gestational, which happens in pregnant women.
You can usually control type 2 diabetes with lifestyle changes. Some people also need medication.
You might not know that you have type 2 diabetes until it affects your health. About 1 in 4 people with the condition donât know that they have it.
Symptoms can come on slowly. They may include:
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What Causes These Symptoms
Diabetes symptoms occur because some or all of the glucose stays in the blood, and isnt being used as fuel for energy. The body tries to reduce blood glucose levels by flushing the excess glucose out of the body in the urine, making you more thirsty. High levels of glucose being passed in the urine are a perfect breeding ground for the fungal infection which causes thrush. But not everyone gets symptoms. In fact, 6 out of 10 people have no symptoms when theyre diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Warning Signs Of Type 2 Diabetes
Almost a third of people who have diabetes do not know it. That number comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, most people with prediabetes a condition that puts people at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes dont know they have it.
So my diabetes story, which began in ignorance, was not so unusual. I had prediabetes for a long time before the complications caused by high blood sugar led to a stroke.
This is the reason I made a list of warning signs for Type 2 diabetes. Perhaps you or someone you love will see how important it is to get a simple blood sugar test. If this sneaky condition is caught early, you can avoid serious complications.
The symptoms of Type 2 are well known but are easy to miss. Two of them are increased thirst and frequent urination.
The word diabetes comes from the Greek word for siphon. If the beta cells in your pancreas are working, insulin is pumping into your blood to help your body digest carbohydrates like sugar and bread and noodles.
But in Type 2 diabetes your cells are resistant to insulin, which leaves much of that glucose, or simple sugar, in the bloodstream. When blood glucose levels are above 250 mg/dl, the ability of the kidneys to reabsorb fluids is blocked, leading to the release of large amounts of liquid into the bladder. This process uses lots of water, leading to increased thirst.
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Diabetes : A Red Flag For Covid
Infectious, Diabetes Health/ May 11, 2020 / 1925
The novel coronavirus which causes COVID 19 has different levels of severity when it affects different individuals. People with underlying medical conditions like chronic heart disease, diabetes, asthma, liver disease, severe obesity etc., are at higher risk for severe illness.
Diabetes, a global health concern, may put people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID 19. Most of the fatal cases of COVID 19 are underlying the medical condition diabetes. It is because of the impaired immune response of diabetic patients.
According to WHO, as of 2014, approximately 422 million people were affected with diabetes. India, the diabetes capital, has more than 50.9 million with diabetes, according to the Diabetes Foundation India. It is expected that this number will go to 80 million by 2025. Medical experts and agencies such as the CDC have stated that people with diabetes are at higher risk for severe illness when affected by COVID 19, which means more than 422 million people around the world are at higher risk for severe illness.
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When To See A Dermatologist
Diabetes can cause many other skin problems. Most skin problems are harmless, but even a minor one can become serious in people who have diabetes. A board-certified dermatologist can recognize skin problems due to diabetes and help you manage them.
Are all dermatologists board certified?
No. See what it takes to become board certified.
ImagesImage 1: Image Courtesy of Clark C. Otley, MD. All Rights Reserved
Images 3, 7, 8, 9: Used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.
Image 2 from DermNetNZ
Some images used with permission of Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Images 5, 6 and 10: Getty Images
ReferencesCohen Sabban, EN. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus from A to Z. Focus session presented at: 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology March 4-8, 2016 Washington D.C.
Duff M, Demidova O, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of diabetes mellitus. Clinical Diabetes. 2015 33:40-8.
Kalus AA, Chien AJ, et al. Diabetes mellitus and other endocrine disorders. In: Wolff K, Goldsmith LA, et al. Fitzpatricks Dermatology in General Medicine . McGraw Hill Medical, New York, 2008:1461-70.
McKinley-Grant L, Warnick M, et al. Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease. In: Kelly AP and Taylor S. Dermatology for Skin of Color. . The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. China, 2009:481-4.
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Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes symptoms often take several years to develop. Some people dont notice any symptoms at all. Type 2 diabetes usually starts when youre an adult, though more and more children and teens are developing it. Because symptoms are hard to spot, its important to know the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Make sure to visit your doctor if you have any of them.
Diabetes: 12 Warning Signs That Appear On Your Skin
Diabetes can affect many parts of your body, including your skin. When diabetes affects the skin, its often a sign that your blood sugar levels are too high. This could mean that:
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You have undiagnosed diabetes, or pre-diabetes
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Your treatment for diabetes needs to be adjusted
If you notice any of the following warning signs on your skin, its time to talk with your doctor.
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Can Diabetes Go Away
Diabetes doesnt just go away. The diagnosis will stay with you but you can still be healthy and change the things that led to your diagnosis.
For example, if you get diagnosed with diabetes after a HBA1c% of 6.5%, you can absolutely get that number down with healthy lifestyle interventions. On top of that, the symptoms and complications you might be dealing with that are stemming from your diabetes can dissipate and come under control.
Think exercise, diet and weight loss.
In the past it was said that there was no cure for diabetes. This can be really fatalistic to hear I mean, if theres no cure? Whats the point?
We now know that many people can go into a form of diabetes remission. Living a healthy life, full of all the wonderful things without being on diabetes medication or regularly checking their blood sugar levels. This is the place we love to get to.
Type 2 Diabetes: Stay Stress Free
Stress can boost your blood pressure and blood sugar. Some people dont do anything for it. Others turn to food to cope with it. Instead, practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or visualization. Talking to a friend, family member, counselor, or a religious leader could help.
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Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
You’ll be given a special sweetened drink prior to this blood test. A test result of 11.1 mmol/L or greater taken two hours after having the sweet drink indicates diabetes.
A second test must be done in all cases . Once diabetes has been diagnosed, ask your doctor to refer you for diabetes education. Diabetes Canada also has many resources to help you understand diabetes better and live a long and healthy life. Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and managing the disease is not easy. But it is important to know that you can live a long and healthy life by taking a number of steps including keeping your blood sugar levels in target range.
A Trial For People At Highest Risk
Since Bob Aronsons diagnosis more than 15 years ago, researchers have come to recognize that several clinical factors can also be used to identify a subset of people with new-onset diabetes who have an especially high risk of pancreatic cancer.
Three key differences that tend to be found together distinguish these people from others with new-onset diabetes, said Dr. Maitra. One is their age, he explained. People who develop diabetes as a consequence of pancreatic cancer tend to be older, he explained.
The second is that blood sugar levels tend to rise more rapidly in people whose diabetes is driven by a tumor. And the third is weight loss, Dr. Maitra explained. Normally with type 2 diabetes, people gain weight when they become diabetic. People whose diabetes is caused by pancreatic cancer can instead experience unexpected weight loss around the time of a diabetes diagnosis.
In 2018, Dr. Chari and his colleagues proposed that these three clinical risk factors, which they called the Enriching New-Onset Diabetes for Pancreatic Cancer score, may be useful for identifying people who need additional testing now, before a blood test has been developed.
As part of the EDI, CT scans will be stored in a repository. This resource could potentially be used for future studies using artificial intelligence-based approaches to improving pancreatic cancer imaging, explained Eva Shrader, PanCANs director of scientific initiatives.
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Itching And Yeast Infections
Excess sugar in the blood and urine provides food for yeast, which can lead to infection. Yeast infections tend to occur on warm, moist areas of the skin, such as the mouth, genital areas, and armpits.
The affected areas are usually itchy, but a person may also experience burning, redness, and soreness.
Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes
The signs and symptoms of diabetes are disregarded by many because of the chronic progression of the disease. People do not consider this as a serious problem because unlike many other diseases the consequences of hyperglycaemia are not manifested immediately. People are not aware that damage can start several years before symptoms become noticeable. This is unfortunate because recognition of early symptoms can help to get the disease under control immediately and to prevent vascular complications.
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Impact Of Diabetes On The Immune System
In response to high blood sugar levels as well as the presence of inflammatory mediators produced by adipocytes and macrophages in fat tissue, inflammatory responses are issued by the immune system. This chronic inflammation damages the pancreatic beta cells, which leads to insufficient insulin production, which causes hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia in diabetic people is thought to cause dysfunction of the immune response, which results in failure to control the spread of invading pathogens. This is why diabetic individuals are known to be more susceptible to infection.
Early Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetes
1. Frequent urination
When your blood sugar is high, your kidneys expel the excess blood sugar, causing you to urinate more frequently. One of the early warning signs of diabetes is frequent urination that is urgent enough to wake you up to go to the bathroom during sleep.
2. Increased thirst
While your kidneys are working overtime and youre urinating more frequently, valuable fluids will be pulled from your tissues. Frequent urination will make you feel constantly thirsty.
3. Fatigue
When your blood sugar is high, your body works hard to get rid of the excess sugar. Not only does this process take a toll on your body, but it also alters the way that your body uses glucose for energy. Excessively high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, has fatiguing effects among other symptoms. Additionally, the dehydration that accompanies more frequent urination is a common cause of fatigue in diabetics.
4. Blurred vision
High blood sugar can cause damage to the small blood vessels of the eye, resulting in a swollen lens that can cause blurred vision. As blood sugar levels rise and lower, your vision may return to normal or worsen, respectively.
5. Increased hunger
When you have high blood sugar, your body is actively looking to get rid of it. Because your body expels so much of the glucose you’re getting from your food, you may have increased feelings of hunger.
6. Unexplained weight loss
7. Slow healing cuts and wounds
8. Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
9. Skin discoloration
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Yellow Reddish Or Brown Patches On Your Skin
Necrobiosis Lipoidica
This skin condition often begins as small raised solid bumps that look like pimples. As it progresses, these bumps turn into patches of swollen and hard skin. The patches can be yellow, reddish, or brown.
You may also notice:
- The surrounding skin has a shiny porcelain-like appearance
- You can see blood vessels
- The skin is itchy and painful
- The skin disease goes through cycles where it is active, inactive, and then active again
necrobiosis lipodica.
Take action
- Get tested for diabetes, if you have not been diagnosed.
- Work with your doctor to better control your diabetes.
- See a dermatologist about your skin. Necorbiosis lipodica is harmless, but it can lead to complications.
What Happens When You Are Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes are often overwhelmed at first. Theres all these new terms, new health professionals . The diagnosis alone is enough to raise your blood pressure when youre sitting in your doctors office.
All those questions. Do I need insulin injections? What are my insulin-producing cells doing so wrong? Am I going to be taking oral diabetes medications for life?
The first steps after youve been diagnosed is to breath deeply, find out about the type of diabetes youve been diagnosed with and start piecing together a plan with your health care team.
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Excessive Thirst And Urination
When you have diabetes, your body is unable to regulate the levels of glucose in your bloodstream because of a lack of insulin or insulin resistance. When this happens, the job is left to your kidneys, which need to work overtime to filter the excess sugar out of your blood. This may lead to more frequent urination, which dehydrates you, leading to excessive thirst.
Risk Factors You Can Control
Some health habits and medical conditions related to your lifestyle can raise your odds of having type 2 diabetes, including:
- Being overweight, especially at the waist
- A couch potato lifestyle
- Eating a lot of red meat, processed meat, high-fat dairy products, and sweets
- Unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels
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Risk Factors You Cant Control
Risk factors are out of your control, including:
- Race or ethnicity: Hispanics, African-Americans, Native Americans, and Asians are more likely to get it
- Family history of diabetes: Having a parent or sibling with diabetes boosts your odds.
- Age: Being 45 and older raises your risk for type 2.
Youre more likely to get type 2 diabetes later on if you:
- Had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant
- Delivered a baby that weighed over 9 pounds
- Had polycystic ovary syndrome