How to recognize the symptoms of diabetes?

Diabetes and blood sugar

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism, which is the basis for supplying energy to the body. This is due to a defect in insulin production in the pancreas or the cells' inability to use glucose properly (insulin resistance). In both cases, glucose builds up in the blood, which is hyperglycemia.

Therefore, we distinguish type 1 or insulin-dependent diabetes which mainly affects children and young people, characterized by the fact that the pancreas cannot produce or produce insufficient insulin from type 2 diabetes (also known as the most common type of diabetes). It occurs after the age of 40 and is mainly caused by insulin resistance. The last is gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy and then disappears after childbirth. Diabetes continues to increase and affects fewer and fewer young people. Our food and our way of life are threatened.

The main disadvantage of diabetes is the risk of complications. Prolonged hyperglycemia can worsen blood vessels and nerves, causing various complications, sometimes even serious: cardiovascular disease, neuropathy (nerve damage), kidney failure, retinopathy (damage to the optic nerve), foot ulcers, repeated attacks of infection.

What are the signs?

In the case of type 1 diabetes, the signal of the disease is an obvious discomfort not to be missed. However, for type 2 diabetes, the symptoms are more subtle.

The signs of diabetes are:

• Frequent urination (day and night).
• Significant thirst.
• Increased hunger.
• Excessive tiredness and weakness.
• Weight loss.
• Recurrent infections affecting the skin, gums, bladder, vulva or foreskin.
• Poor healing.
• Numbness, tingling in the hands, feet.

But sometimes these are the signs of complications that indicate diabetes:

• Visual disturbances (blurred vision).
• Leg pain or cramps.
• Incapacity.
• Cardiac or vascular pathology ...