Diabetes affects individuals of all ages and manifests itself as an increase in blood sugar levels. In order to initiate adequate treatment, symptoms, which are somewhat non-specific or even hidden, must undoubtedly be attributed to the disease, especially in the early stages. The ADA (American Diabetes Association) aptly notes on this topic that "many people have diabetes but don't know it." (Mayo Clinic, 2023).
Therefore, it recommends preventive diabetes screening to all who:
Diabetes occurs when blood sugar (glucose) levels exceed normal values. Glucose comes from carbohydrates in food and drinks and is the main source of energy for the body. The blood carries glucose to all the cells and it needs insulin to get it where it needs to go.
If the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or the body doesn't use it properly, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, causing hyperglycemia. Persistently high blood glucose levels damage the heart, nerves and eyesight. You will learn how diabetes manifests itself in different stages in the following chapters devoted to its symptoms.
Early symptoms of diabetes are the most critical in diagnosing the disease, but paradoxically the easiest to miss. And not only to the doctor, but also to the sick person. This is because they are often hidden or silent. U.S. researchers estimate that there are 7 million undiagnosed diabetics in the U.S. because of hidden symptoms, an alarming number (UNC Health, 2021).
The most commonly overlooked manifestations of diabetes include:
The early manifestations of diabetes are also among the most common and can be reliably identified by an experienced diabetologist. But only provided that after noticing them, you visit a doctor in time and start adequate treatment. Undetected diabetes progresses to other stages and in later stages more serious manifestations are added.
According to a 2011 study, at least 2.4% of the population has been diagnosed with diabetes, yet they do not have adequate treatment.This is either due to patients' poor mental health, the absence of a health support system, or belonging to marginalized groups that do not have equal access to health care. (Marina Basin, Medical News Today, 2022)
Late detected diabetes manifests itself with extensive symptoms:
Symptoms vary, of course, depending on which type of diabetes is being talked about. Type 1 diabetes most commonly occurs in childhood. The immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, which then cannot produce the hormone. It manifests itself suddenly and "unannounced". Type 2 diabetes is more common after the age of 45 and symptoms appear gradually. The body fails to use insulin properly, and over time stops producing it altogether.(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023)
If you want to list the most common symptoms of diabetes from a list of different symptoms, memorize the letter "P" three times, or polydipsia, polyuria and polyphagia. In fact, the most common symptoms of diabetes usually occur together and a more perceptive person will notice them right away.
These symptoms are:
We will now look at the three most common symptoms of diabetes in more detail.
If you suffer from polydipsia, you have a constant feeling of thirst and/or dry mouth. Polydipsia is caused by an increased level of glucose in the blood, which the kidneys try to remove from the body by overproducing urine. As the body loses fluid this way, the brain sends a signal to drink more to replace the lost hydration. This leads to a feeling of intense thirst, which paradoxically doesn't subside even after you've had a drink.
Excessive thirst is sometimes a secondary symptom of untreated diabetes. "Blood sugar levels are so high in patients that sugar starts leaking into the urine. The sugar molecules take water with them and we lose it. The first symptom of untreated diabetes is therefore excessive urination, which leads to dehydration, and only then thirst appears," says Jiří Štefánek, MD, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague.
Polyuria means that you urinate more than the norm. Most people produce about one to two litres of urine a day. People with polyuria produce well over three litres of urine a day. When blood glucose levels are too high, the body tries to remove it by urinating. The kidneys thus filter more water, which just leads to an increased need to urinate.
In diabetics, glucose cannot be properly used as an energy source in the cells, which is caused by either low blood insulin levels or insulin resistance. Since the body cannot convert glucose into energy, it starts to feel very hungry. However, if it is related to polyphagia, it does not disappear even after eating food. Paradoxically, for people with untreated diabetes, eating more food will increase the already high blood glucose levels, starting a never-ending cycle.
If you have recently noticed an abnormal increase in thirst, frequent urination or an increased appetite that lasts for several days, it is likely that you are suffering from one of the three P's and you should take action. The first is to take a simple diabetes test, to find out your insulin, glucose or glycated haemoglobin levels.
Keep in mind that up to 24% of adults with diabetes have problems with reduced thyroid function, which brings with it other health inconveniences. (Hana Šrajerová, Diastyl, 2019) Therefore, do not hesitate to undergo a thyroid function test, an essential organ that affects the metabolism of every cell in the human body. The metabolism of glucose or blood sugar is covered by the activity of the hormone alanine aminotransferase (ALT), the proper functioning of which you will see for yourself when you undergo a liver examination.
Our diabetes mellitus (Diabetes Mellitus) test package will help you determine your risk of diabetes by testing a set of parameters - insulin, glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and insulin…
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