“Pre-diabetes” refers to a stage in which blood sugar exceeds the normal value, but does not meet the diagnostic criteria for diabetes.
Definition of “pre-diabetes” According to the American Diabetes Association definition, the following three conditions are prediabetes:
- Fasting blood sugar between 100 and 125 mg/dL
- Oral 75 grams of glucose for 2 hours to check blood sugar between 140 and 199 mg/dL
- Glycated hemoglobin between 5.7 and 6.4%
Prediabetes has few symptoms and no physical discomfort. However, studies have shown that after about 3 to 5 years, one in four people with prediabetes will develop diabetes, and if untreated, complications will develop.
Natural history of diabetes
| Normal blood sugar | Prediabetes | Diabetes | |
| Fasting blood sugar | <100mg/dL | 100~140mg/dL | ≥126mg/dL |
| Oral 75 grams of glucose 2-hour blood sugar | <140mg/dL | 140~199mg/dL | ≥200mg/dL |
| Glycated hemoglobin | <5.7% | 5.7~6.4% | ≥6.5% |
The golden age of sugar control and treatment
Some doctors have treated prediabetes as a disease, because the blood sugar level exceeds the standard, which means that the liver, skeletal muscle, fat and other surrounding tissues of the body become insensitive to insulin and cannot effectively use the glucose from food, that is, So-called insulin resistance.
In the early stage of insulin resistance, the insulin-secreting “beta cells” in the pancreas will try to secrete more insulin to metabolize sugar, so the body will not feel any discomfort. Using “pay more attention” to exhort, often wait until the body begins to feel uncomfortable, often the beta cell function has lost half of it, can no longer secrete enough insulin, and the body also begins to experience various complications, including retinopathy, arteriosclerosis or nephropathy and other problems .
If the abnormal glucose metabolism can be improved from pre-diabetes, in fact, it is possible to preserve the function of beta cells, and even have the opportunity to return to normal blood sugar levels, and draw a clear line with diabetes and complications. The well-known diabetes prevention study “DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program)” in the United States aimed at pre-diabetic patients over the age of 25, and carried out planned weight loss and exercise guidance for 24 weeks. After tracking for 2.8 years, it was found that the incidence of diabetes was higher than anything else. There were 58% fewer people who didn’t do it, and after 15 years of follow-up, there was still a 27% reduction.
High-risk groups for Pre-Diabetes?
Pre-Diabetes does not have any symptoms, and most patients will only find it through a health checkup. High-risk groups should regularly check blood sugar every 1 to 3 years, and if the check is normal, follow-up checks can be done every 3 years
- Body mass index (BMI) over 25
- have a family history of diabetes
- high blood pressure
- Dyslipidemia
- have a history of gestational diabetes
- High-risk groups who have given birth to giant babies
What questions should you ask your doctor before seeing a doctor?
- Do I need to take medicine in my current state?
- Are other related checks required?
- If I need to lose weight, how many kilograms should I lose per month?
- How soon should I return to the clinic?
- Do you have to measure your blood sugar every day?
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