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Have you noticed a spike in your blood sugar levels? Maybe you are under immense stress, or haven’t had the best diet lately, or have been fairly inactive. Even a big, carb-heavy meal will lead to higher blood sugar. So, just because you once registered high blood sugar doesn’t mean you’re immediately at risk of poor health. But high levels of blood sugar and diabetes typically go hand-in-hand. Consistently high blood sugar should be taken seriously because it is usually related to a few health concerns—most often, diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are characterized by high levels of blood sugar (or blood glucose).
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes usually begins in childhood and is considered an autoimmune condition. In cases of type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little-to-no insulin. Generally, type 1 is caused by a genetic predisposition—meaning most people are born with it.
Type 2 diabetes is developed in older children and adults and is almost always a result of being overweight or obese. In type 2 diabetes, the body fails to properly use and store glucose because it doesn’t respond to insulin. Obesity is one of the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes and Your Health
Diabetics also tend to have other health issues, often relating to processes involved with the heart, kidney, eyes, and blood vessels. According to a study from 2015, type 2 diabetes has become worryingly prevalent in the American population; 12% – 14% of adults are estimated to have the disease.
Even before diagnosis, having higher-than-recommended blood sugar levels can be harmful to your health and may ultimately be a sign that you are on the path to developing type 2 diabetes. This is called “pre-diabetes.”
Pre-diabetes means that you have blood sugar levels that are higher than usual (possibly due to insulin resistance), but below what is considered in the diabetic range. An additional 38% of the population has been diagnosed with pre-diabetes.
What role does elevated blood sugar play in diabetes, pre-diabetes, and obesity? And how can you lower your blood sugar? Do you even need to lower it in the first place? Let’s explore the science behind the data to understand how blood sugar is correlated to these health concerns.
