6 warning signs of high blood sugar

Thirst and frequent urination

Lao Dong newspaper quoted Eating Well as saying that excess sugar in the blood causes the kidneys to work harder to remove this sugar. The kidneys take water from your tissues to dilute the glucose and excrete it in urine, leading to more frequent trips to the bathroom.

This loss of water and electrolytes increases your thirst, so you continue to drink more water. If you also drink sugary drinks like soda, your blood sugar can rise even higher.

Always hungry

Your body converts the food you eat into glucose, which is then used by your cells for energy.

However, sometimes glucose cannot get into your cells. This can happen because your body cannot make enough of the hormone insulin needed to move glucose into your cells. Not being able to use glucose causes a lack of energy, which can make you hungrier than usual.

Excessive hunger accompanied by weight loss can be a sign of diabetes.

Tired

Blood sugar levels often become chronically high because the body has become resistant to insulin, the hormone that helps cells use sugar for energy.

Lacking that source of energy, people with high blood sugar may often feel tired.

Tingling and numbness

Thanh Nien newspaper quoted Eat This, Not That! as saying that chronic high blood sugar can damage nerves throughout the body, a condition known as diabetic neuropathy.

The most common form is peripheral neuropathy, which affects the feet, legs, hands, and arms.

It may cause tingling, burning, numbness, decreased sensitivity to pain or temperature, or sharp pain or cramping in the affected areas.

Symptoms tend to get worse at night.

Blurred vision and frequent headaches

High blood sugar can swell and deform the lens of the eye, causing blurred or double vision.

Diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina to leak, or new blood vessels to grow abnormally, leading to vision problems.

This is called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic neuropathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States.

Black spots and skin tags appear on the skin.

Dark patches in skin folds such as the neck, armpits, and fingers can be a sign of a diabetes-related condition. Caused by high insulin levels, it can be an early sign of prediabetes, diabetes, or insulin resistance.

Besides, dermatitis, bacterial and fungal infections, dry skin, itchy skin can also be potential signs of high blood sugar.