Typically, the hormone
helps move glucose from your blood to your cells, where it’s used for energy. But with
, your body’s cells aren’t able to respond to insulin as well as they should. In later stages of the condition, your body may also not produce enough insulin.
Type 2 diabetes can develop slowly. The symptoms may be mild and easy to dismiss at first. The
may include:
a lack of energy
fatigue
frequent urination
blurry vision
pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands or feet
As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more severe and can cause some potentially dangerous complications.
Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone. Your
produces it and releases it when you eat. Insulin helps transport glucose from your bloodstream to cells throughout your body, where it’s used for energy.
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body becomes
. Your body is no longer using the hormone efficiently. This forces your pancreas to work harder to make more insulin.
If you don’t produce enough insulin or if your body doesn’t use it efficiently, glucose builds up in your bloodstream. This leaves your body’s cells starved for energy. Doctors don’t know exactly what triggers this series of events. It may have to do with cell dysfunction in the pancreas or with cell signaling and regulation.
While the definitive trigger of type 2 diabetes is your body’s resistance to insulin, a combination of factors usually increases your risk of that resistance occurring.
Even if you do not have prediabetes, you should see your doctor right away if you think you may be experiencing symptoms of diabetes. Your doctor can get a lot of information from blood work.
may include the following:
Hemoglobin A1C test:
measures your average blood glucose levels for the previous 2 or 3 months. You don’t need to fast for this test, and your doctor can diagnose diabetes based on the results. It’s also called a glycosylated hemoglobin test.
Fasting plasma glucose test: This test measures how much glucose is in your plasma. You may need to
before taking it.
Oral glucose tolerance test: During
, your blood is drawn three times: before drinking a dose of glucose, 1 hour after, and 2 hours after. The test results show how well your body deals with glucose before and after the drink.
If you have diabetes, your doctor will provide you with information about how to manage the disease, including:
how to monitor blood glucose levels on your own
dietary recommendations
physical activity recommendations
information about any medications that you need
You may need to see an
who specializes in the treatment of diabetes. You’ll probably need to visit your doctor more often at first to make sure your treatment plan is working.
Type 2 diabetes can be managed and, in some cases, reversed. Most treatment plans will include
checking your blood glucose levels
, and your doctor will let you know how often you should do it. The goal is to stay within a specific range.
Additional lifestyle changes your doctor will likely advise to help treat your type 2 diabetes include:
eating foods rich in
and
— eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help
keep your blood glucose levels steady
eating at regular intervals
learning to listen to your body and know when you’re full
managing your weight and keeping your heart healthy, which typically means keeping refined carbohydrates, sweets, and animal fats to a minimum
getting about half an hour of
daily to help keep your heart healthy —
can help to regulate blood glucose, too
Not everyone with type 2 diabetes needs to use insulin. If you do, it’s because your pancreas isn’t making enough insulin on its own, and it’s crucial that you take insulin as your doctor prescribes. There are other prescription medications that may help as well.
In some cases, lifestyle changes are enough to manage type 2 diabetes. If not, there are several medications that may help, including:
Metformin:
can lower your blood glucose levels and improve how your body responds to insulin. It’s
for most people with type 2 diabetes.
Sulfonylureas: These are
that help your body
.
Meglitinides: These are fast-acting, short-duration medications that stimulate your pancreas to release more insulin.
Thiazolidinediones: These make your body more sensitive to insulin.
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors: These are milder medications that help reduce blood glucose levels.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists: These slow digestion and improve blood glucose levels.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors: These help your
remove sugar in your body through urine.
Each type of medication listed above can cause side effects. It may take some time for you and your doctor to find the
or combination of medications to treat your diabetes.
If your body is unable to make enough insulin, you may need
. You may only need a
you can take at night, or you may need to take insulin several times per day.
Choose a variety of foods that are high in
and low in
.
Work on being mindful about portion sizes and stopping eating when you’re full.
Read
closely to understand the amount of sugar or carbs you could be ingesting in a serving size.
Type 2 diabetes can be managed — and even reversed — with certain lifestyle changes. For more severe cases, medication is available.
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, talk with your doctor about developing a treatment plan that works for your lifestyle. Because this condition is so common, there’s a plethora of
and
to help you on your journey towards managing — or breaking free from — type 2 diabetes.