What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
Onset of type 2 diabetes is characterized by an absence of symptoms. The disease progresses slowly, sometimes for a number of years, without the appearance of any warning signs [1,2,3].
Certain risk factors still favor its development. The most important of these, if we exclude the effects of aging, are lack of exercise coupled with an unhealthy diet.
Both of these factors contribute to a predisposition to excess weight or obesity which can in turn lead to the development of a metabolism disorder called insulin resistance, thereby increasing risks of type 2 diabetes [1,2,4].
As a preventative measure, annual screening is recommended from the age of 40, or earlier in the event of predisposition, even when no symptoms of type 2 diabetes have been observed [4,5].
Principal symptoms
The principal symptoms of type 2 diabetes are those characteristic of hyperglycemia:
- excessive thirst (polydipsia)
- a frequent urge to urinate
- weight loss
- excessive appetite
- chronic tiredness [3,4,5].
Is it possible to delay the progression to type 2 diabetes?
Progression to type 2 diabetes can be delayed, provided the diagnosis is made before the first symptoms of diabetes develop and the glycemia is not too high. Indeed, early diagnosis enables a transition away from an unhealthy lifestyle, especially poor diet and lack of exercise, both of which are key factors in the development of type 2 diabetes [1,2,4,6,7].
Screening is recommended for all people at risk (family history of diabetes, overweight, etc.) from the age of 40 [1,2,4].
Is it possible to have type 2 diabetes without having any symptoms?
Before its onset, type 2 diabetes progresses slowly for a number of years without showing any symptoms at all [1,2,3].
The asymptomatic phase, called pre-diabetes, is characterized by increasing insulin resistance and an increase in fasting blood sugar levels. The pancreas is overworked, gets tired, and can no longer produce the amount of insulin needed to maintain stable blood sugar levels [1,2,6].
Do blood tests detect prediabetes?
Yes. We speak of pre-diabetes when the fasting blood glucose level is between 5.6 to 7.0 mmol/L of blood, when the HbA1c level is between 5.7% and 6.4%, or when the blood glucose level is between 7.8 to 11.0 mmol/l following an oral glucose tolerance test. If the levels are higher, full type 2 diabetes is considered to be present [6].
Owing to the absence of visible symptoms, pre-diabetes is often diagnosed by accident during a blood test for other health issues [2].
In order to correctly identify type 2 diabetes before it reaches an advanced stage, and is therefore potentially dangerous, regular blood testing is recommended, enabling your health care provider to detect any abnormal blood sugar levels and carry out further examination [2,4].
Sources:
- Markku Laakso. Biomarkers for type 2 diabetes. Mol Metab. 2019 Sep; 27(Suppl): S139–S146.
- Samantha Roberts, Eleanor Barry, Dawn Craig, Mara Airoldi, Gwyn Bevan, Trisha Greenhalgh. Preventing type 2 diabetes: systematic review of studies of cost-effectiveness of lifestyle programmes and metformin, with and without screening, for pre-diabetes. BMJ Open. 2017; 7(11): e017184.
- Kung-Ting Kao, Matthew A Sabin. Type 2 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. Aust Fam Physician. 2016 Jun;45(6):401-6.
- Karly Pippitt , Marlana Li , Holly E Gurgle, Diabetes Mellitus: Screening and Diagnosis. Am Fam Physician, 2016 Jan 15;93(2):103-9.
- Raquel Vieira, Selma B Souto, Elena Sánchez-López, Ana López Machado, Patricia Severino, Sajan Jose, Antonello Santini, Amelia M Silva, Ana Fortuna, Maria Luisa García, Eliana B Souto. Sugar-Lowering Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Syndrome-Strategies for In Vivo Administration: Part-II. J Clin Med. 2019 Aug 28;8(9):1332.
- Zand A, Ibrahim K, Patham B. Prediabetes: Why Should We Care? Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J. Oct-Dec 2018;14(4):289-297.
- Ewan R. Pearson. Type 2 diabetes: a multifaceted disease. Diabetologia. 2019; 62(7): 1107–1112.
