Diabetes affects how the blood uses sugar or glucose. Glucose provides energy to muscle and tissue cells and is the brain’s primary fuel source. Diabetes causes excess sugar in the blood because the body can’t produce enough insulin to help sugar enter the cells. 

Too much glucose in the blood can lead to serious, long-term complications, including nerve damage, cardiovascular disease, and other severe conditions. These develop due to poorly controlled blood sugar, so if you have diabetes, management is critical. Unfortunately, the warning signs of diabetes often go unnoticed. 

Early Symptoms of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

The early warning signs of both types of diabetes overlap. The following symptoms may occur when your body doesn’t produce insulin, or your insulin can’t keep up with your blood sugar.

Elevated Thirst and Urine Production

When healthy, you reabsorb glucose as it moves through your kidneys. However, when your blood sugar levels rise too high, your kidneys can’t keep up with the excess glucose, so your body produces more urine to help flush the sugar from the kidneys. Increased urination leads to increased thirst.

Dry Mouth and Skin

Since all of the body’s fluids are necessary to flush the glucose from the kidneys, the rest of your body experiences a lack of hydration. As a result, your mouth and skin may become dry.

Hunger and Exhaustion

Glucose is fuel for your cells, and insulin is the key that unlocks the cells for glucose to enter. When you don’t produce enough insulin, you crave more fuel, increasing your hunger. Also, your cells can’t access their energy, so you quickly become fatigued.

Early Signs of Type 1 Diabetes

Most patients with type 1 diabetes receive a diagnosis between the ages of 4 and 14. However, adults can develop the condition as well. 

Those with type 1 diabetes may also experience unexplained weight loss, as the body can’t unlock energy from food and burns muscle and fat instead. The shift to burning fat for fuel makes ketones, which can cause stomach upset and vomiting. 

Early Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

When glucose levels are high for an extended period, you can become more susceptible to yeast infections, as yeast feeds on glucose. In addition, chronic high blood sugar nerve damage can lead to tingling or numbness in the feet or legs and slow-healing wounds.

Staying aware of changes in your body and being mindful of your habits can help you identify concerns with your blood sugar levels before they cause long-term damage. 

This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions. The professionals at stemedix will break down exactly what is stem cell therapy.