Diabetes is where a person’s blood sugar levels become too high, and 90 per cent of sufferers are diagnosed with type 2 in the UK.
This means that their body doesn’t produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels down.
In contrast to type 2, which can develop very quickly, many symptoms of type 2 diabetes appear gradually over the years.
According to the NHS, these are the seven warning signs you should see a doctor as soon as possible:
– Feeling very thirsty
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– Urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night
– Feeling very tired
– Weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
– Itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
– Cuts or wounds that heal slowly
– Blurred vision
According to diabetes.co.uk, symptoms may be more apparent after meals.
While these signs may not seem to be directly related to blood sugar, they are because diabetes has a knock on effect on other functions in the body.
According to Diabetes UK, they occur when the body tries to reduce excess glucose levels.
For example, thrush happens as the body attempts to flush it out as urine, which risks the fungal infection.
While symptoms may not seem too serious – and could even be caused by something else – however it is important not to ignore them.
Left untreated, type 2 diabetes could cause problems with the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys, according to Diabetes UK.
It is thought up to 850,000 adults in the UK could be suffering from type 2 and are not aware of it.
If you have elevated levels of both blood pressure and cholesterol it is worth getting checked out for type 2.