6 warning signs of high blood sugar

Frequent thirst and need to urinate

According to the Lao Dong newspaper, citing the Eating Well website, excess sugar in the blood forces the kidneys to work harder to eliminate it. The kidneys draw water from your tissues to dilute the glucose and excrete it through urine, leading to more frequent urination.

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

Always hungry

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

However, there are times when glucose cannot reach the cells. This can happen because your body cannot produce enough insulin, the hormone needed to transport glucose into your cells. The inability to use glucose causes a lack of energy, which can make you feel hungrier than usual.

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

Tired

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

Without that energy source, people with high blood sugar levels may frequently feel tired.

Tingling and numbness

According to Thanh Nien newspaper, citing the Eat This, Not That! website, chronically high blood sugar levels can damage nerves throughout the body, a condition known as diabetic neuropathy.

The most common form is peripheral neuropathy, which affects the feet, lower 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 worsen at night.

Blurred vision and frequent headaches

High blood sugar levels can cause swelling and deformation of the lens of the eye, leading to blurred vision or double vision.

Diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina to leak, or for 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.

The appearance of dark spots and skin tags.

Dark patches in skin creases such as the neck, armpits, and fingers can be a sign of a condition related to diabetes. This is caused by high insulin levels, which can be an early sign of prediabetes, diabetes, or insulin resistance.

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