Pre-diabetes is often described as the ‘grey area’ as it occurs when blood glucose levels are raised, but not high enough to be classed as diabetes.
The condition is often an indicator that the sufferer is about to develop diabetes and diagnosing pre-diabetes means that doctors can act accordingly.
What are the symptoms?
Signs of pre-diabetes are not dissimilar to indications of diabetes.
They can include:
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Constant hunger
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Unexplained weight loss
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Weight gain
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Flu-like symptoms
-Weakness and fatigue
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Blurred vision
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Loss of feeling/ pins and needles in hands and/or feet
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Recurring vaginal and bladder infections
What are the causes of pre-diabetes?
There are various reasons why people develop pre-diabetes, though lifestyle is often considered a main factor.
Causes can include:
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Family history of diabetes
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Heart and cardiovascular disease
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Hypertension
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Obesity/ being over
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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
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Suffering from gestational diabetes
How is it treated?
Doctors usually recommend weight loss and overhauling diet as a treatment for pre-diabetes, but this does depend on the causes and other health factors.
It is not always an inevitability that those with pre-diabetes will progress onto type 2 diabetes. This risk is approximately 25% according to
If you feel you might be at risk of developing pre-diabetes or diabetes then it is vital that you speak to your GP.