Adult onset diabetes, also known as type 2 diabetes, is a condition that affects a person’s ability to use their body’s insulin. When a person consumes a meal, acids in the digestive system will dissolve the food in order to isolate the nutrients and glucose. The pancreas and liver produce and regulate insulin in order to transfer the glucose, or sugar, out of the bloodstream and transfer it to muscles, fat, and other tissues where it can be used as energy for the body. Sometimes, the issue is in the manufacturing of the insulin itself, but usually in adult diabetes, the problem is with the process of transfer and absorption. The result is that an individuals’ blood glucose level remains elevated and they suffer from hyperglycemia. Over time, high blood sugar levels can have negative consequences, such as heart disease and stroke.
Medical professionals once referred to this form of diabetes as adult onset diabetes because the majority of people who developed this disease were older individuals. Unfortunately, even adolescents and children can develop this type of insulin resistance if they have the right risk factors. In addition, diabetes adult onset is generally slow. It takes time for the risk factors to build, and people do not usually notice signs or symptoms of this disease until they are in the breadth of it. At that point, it is never too late to give up. Even though the body may have suffered some irreparable damage, this type of diabetes is treated 80% of the time with diet and exercise. Occasionally, doctors will prescribe oral medications to patients who cannot control their blood sugar with lifestyle changes, but this mode of treatment if subpar for treating adult diabetes symptoms.
Symptoms of Adult Diabetes
Two classic symptoms of adult diabetes include excessive thirst and an increase in the frequency of urination, especially if an individual has to get up in the middle of the night to urinate. The person will become thirsty as the kidneys are working overtime to flush out the excess glucose in the blood, which eventually passes into the urine. Because of this action, a person will start to feel dehydrated and will increase their consumption. Because of these actions, a person’s need to use the bathroom will increase.
Other adult onset diabetes symptoms may include excessive hunger and weight loss no matter how often they eat. When insulin is not absorbed, the calories of food are not absorbed either, which means the person is not receiving any nutrition. They will also likely lose weight from dehydration. Sometimes, a person may experience blurred vision or wounds that are slow to heal. Any combination of these symptoms experienced should prompt an individual to schedule a doctor’s visit immediately.
Signs of Adult Diabetes
Signs of adult diabetes are determined through three simple tests performed by a physician. These tests include a fasting blood glucose test, oral glucose tolerance test and Hemoglobin A1c test.A blood sample is drawn to measure results of an individual’s levels of glucose and hemoglobin. In the fasting glucose tolerance test, glucose must be higher than 126 mg/dL on two occasions while an oral glucose tolerance test must indicate a reading higher than 200 mg/dL after two hours of drinking a sugary substance provided by the doctor. Hemoglobin levels must be greater than 6% in order to diagnose diabetes. Screening for diabetes should be conducted on anyone who is overweight, has risk factors, or is above the age of forty-five years old.
As causes of adult onset diabetes are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and lack of exercise, an individual can easily modify their lifestyle to include healthy habits, such as a low fat, high fiber diet that is free from simple carbohydrates, thirty minutes of daily vigorous exercise, and stress relief like yoga or medication. Diet and exercise have proven to be the best remedy for the prevention and treatment of diabetes and its complications.
