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Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms and Risk Factors

According to the American Diabetes Association, about 20.8 million people (that's 7% of the population) in the U.S. have diabetes — although as many as one third of them don't even know it.
Having diabetes means that your blood sugar is too high. Sugar, or glucose, is the basic source of fuel for many of the body's organs. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows sugar to move from the blood into the cells, where it can be used for energy.

Diabetes is dangerous because high blood sugar isn't usually something you can feel. Many people have no outward type 2 diabetes symptoms at all and can go years without being diagnosed.

That's why it's important to be aware of the type 2 diabetes symptoms and risk factors for diabetes (see below). Get screened by a physician if you have the following type 2 diabetes symptoms:

Being unusually thirsty

Having to urinate often

Feeling hungry all the time

Losing weight (without trying)

Having blurry vision

Feeling very tired

Frequent infections

Cuts and sores that heal slowly

As many as half of all Americans with diabetes are undiagnosed. Without proper diagnosis, other complications caused by high blood sugar can slowly develop.

Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors

Experts agree that there are certain lifestyle and genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People who are the greatest risk of developing diabetes include those who:

Are age 45 or older
Are overweight
Have a family member (such as a parent, brother or sister) with diabetes
Are not physically active
Are African American, Latino, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islander
Have had high blood sugar levels in the past
Have had a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4.1 kg) or have had gestational diabetes
Have high blood pressure (greater than 140/90 mmHg in adults)
Have low ("good") cholesterol (less than or equal to 35 mg/dL)
Have a high level of fats (triglycerides) in the blood (greater than or equal to 250 mg/dL)
Have a history of vascular disease
Have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)

If you are over age 45, talk with your healthcare provider about being tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight or have family members with the condition. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people over age 45 be retested every 3 years.

Regardless of your age, if you are overweight and have one or more of the other risk factors listed above, the ADA suggests that you be tested for diabetes now.

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Options

There is currently no cure for type 2 diabetes. But with a good type 2 diabetes treatment plan and lifestyle changes, people with diabetes can lead long, healthy lives.

There are four primary goals in type 2 diabetes treatment:

Lowering blood sugar
Keeping it as close to normal as possible
Controlling blood pressure and blood cholesterol
Preventing serious health problems related to diabetes

Diet and Exercise

Changing your eating habits and increasing your physical activity are usually the first steps you'll take to try to bring blood sugar levels down. Your doctor may also advise you to lose weight, as this almost always leads to lower blood sugar levels. It's important to work with your healthcare provider to design a type 2 diabetes treatment plan that is right for you.

Medication

If you've changed your diet and started exercising and you still have high blood sugar levels, your doctor may prescribe type 2 diabetes medication. You may have to take oral medications, insulin injections or both as part of your type 2 diabetes treatment regimen. Different diabetes medications work in different ways:

Some type 2 diabetes medications, work by helping the body release more insulin from the pancreas, which helps lower blood sugar.
Other type 2 diabetes medications help the body better use the insulin it does make.
Several diabetes medications keep the body from changing certain foods into glucose.
Insulin injections provide insulin if the body does not make enough.

Learn how taking Julvelin in addition to your other type 2 diabetes medications can help you take control of your blood sugar and reach your A1c goal.