Top 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes in Men & Women

Last updated on August 11th, 2023

How can you identify if you are suffering from diabetes? What are the early signs and symptoms of diabetes you should look forward to? Other than identifying the signs, healthy eating, regular exercise, and improving physical activity are the best ways to manage your blood sugar levels. People with diabetes should follow these lifestyle changes to stay fit and healthy with diabetes. Read this blog to learn about the early signs of diabetes in men and women.

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing globally. Diabetes is a critical metabolic disorder that affects people of all ages, sometimes regardless of their lifestyle. Diabetes can develop due to heredity factors, a side effect of some medication, stress, or, ultimately, your poor lifestyle. It causes a rise in your blood sugar level and leads to various health complications. Therefore, it is significant to identify the early signs and symptoms of diabetes. With this early detection of diabetes, reversal also becomes easy.

Importance of Diagnosing Diabetes Early

Recognising early signs and symptoms of diabetes allows the patient to get diagnosed and treated immediately. It helps them to prevent the risk of complications due to diabetes. A persistent increase in blood sugar levels can become severe for your health.

It also stops the person from enjoying a healthy life. Identifying the first signs of diabetes enables the person to consult the doctor for appropriate treatment and make lifestyle changes to control and reverse diabetes. You might not require medications at all and can reverse diabetes naturally with early detection. A balanced, nutritious diet, proper workout regimen, good sleeping habits, and other lifestyle modifications can help you regulate blood sugar levels naturally.

The Incubation Period of Diabetes

Diabetes type-1 and type-2 have different incubation periods. It can be as short as a month or as long as a decade. Thus, you should often check your blood sugar levels and identify the first signs and symptoms of diabetes as soon as possible. The onset of symptoms of diabetes type-1 is quicker than the symptoms of diabetes type-2. The symptoms of diabetes type-1 develop quickly over a few days or a few weeks. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the symptoms of diabetes type-2 often take several years to get recognised. It develops slowly. Many people got on a consultation call with us just when they started experiencing early symptoms. They were able to manage their blood sugar levels within a span of a few months and are now diabetes-free.

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Early Signs of Diabetes

It can be difficult for many people to realise that they have diabetes until they get their blood glucose levels checked. Most of the early signs and symptoms of diabetes are so mild that it becomes impossible for people to notice them. Sometimes, people do not recognise that the warning signs that their body is giving can be a symptom of diabetes. Therefore, it is crucial to know the early signs and symptoms of diabetes. If detected early, one can normalise their blood glucose levels without medication.

Personalised Diet Plan, exercises to maintain a healthy body weight and consultation from a diabetologist help Type 1 diabetes patients manage their blood glucose levels easily. The common signs and symptoms of diabetes are:

1. Frequent urination: According to the National Institute of Health, frequent urination is one of the early signs of diabetes. A person may need to pass urine four to seven times a day. However, a person with diabetes may go to pee much more often. It happens because the body tries to get rid of excess glucose from the body. Some people with diabetes even experience bed-wetting at night. Diabetic people need to be aware of the food they are consuming and also monitor their blood sugar levels in order to avoid an increase or decrease in levels.
2. Excessive thirst: Frequent urination results in excessive water loss from the sugar patient’s body. Over time, it causes dehydration, and the sugar patients may feel thirstier than usual. Sometimes, one might experience a dry mouth even after drinking lots of fluids. One might also feel thirsty more often than usual. Do not delay checking your blood sugar levels, and remember; we are just a call away to help you reverse diabetes.
3. An increase in appetite: As suggested by diabetes.co.uk, feeling hungry (also known as polyphagia) all the time is another early symptom of diabetes. Your body converts carbohydrates from the food you eat into glucose. The cells use this glucose to produce energy for the body. The cells need insulin to use glucose. However, when your body doesn’t make enough insulin or the cells resist using insulin, your body does not get the energy. It makes you feel hungry. With the Diabetes Reversal Program, 1000s of patients could get rid of insulin by switching to healthy and feasible lifestyle choices.
   
4. Feeling tired: Not only working too hard or sleeping less, but diabetes also can make you feel tired. It happens because diabetes impacts your energy levels. A sudden rise or fall in blood sugar levels can lead to fatigue. Thus, sugar patients feel tired all the time. It is worth seeing a doctor if you still feel tired even after taking a rest. Eating proper food, as directed by a certified Diet Coach, can help you regulate blood sugar levels. Regular follow-ups and constant push from the coach will help you regain your energy level. Many patients could boost their energy levels within 15 days of joining the Diabetes Reversal Program.
   
5. Blurry vision: As per the National Eye Institute, hyperglycemia is responsible for damaging the tiny nerve vessels in your eyes. It leads to blurry vision. If the person with diabetes neglects it and does not get the treatment on time, the damage to the nerve vessel can get severe. It can even result in loss of vision. Diabetes also causes a change in fluid levels. It results in swelling of eye lenses. It prevents the lenses from focussing correctly and leads to blurry vision. With the diabetes reversal method, the damage can be prevented or cured. All it needs is regular monitoring of your blood sugar levels and regulating them with the proper guidance of certified coaches.
6. Slow healing of the wounds and cuts: High blood sugar levels cause impairment of the blood circulation in your body. It is due to the damage to the body’s nerves and blood vessels. Consequently, any wound or a mini cut may take weeks or months to heal. Sometimes, they become infectious due to late healing. This situation can be as bad as fatal. However, keeping your blood sugar healthy will help wounds heal faster.
   
7. Skin Discolouration: People with diabetes may notice the darkness of their skin as an early sign of diabetes. Insulin resistance causes acanthosis nigricans. It is the condition of the formation of dark patches on the skin. You may notice the dark skin patches on your neck, groin, and armpit creases. Insulin resistance can be reversed by maintaining healthy sleeping, eating, and exercise habits.
8. Unexpected weight loss: People who experience unexplained weight loss should check their blood sugar levels as they might have developed diabetes. As found by Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials, unexpected/unexplained weight loss is the most common early symptom of diabetes. When your body cannot use body glucose for energy, your body starts to shred weight.
9. Yeast Infections: If you are frequently experiencing yeast infections, you need to consult your doctor for diabetes. It is one of the early signs and symptoms of diabetes. Yeast feeds on glucose. When your blood glucose levels are high, the kidneys cannot filter them well. Thus, the blood glucose gets mixed with urine, and this circulating blood glucose in your body is responsible for the overgrowth of yeast. It leads to yeast infection.
   
10. Numbness of the feet or legs: Higher blood sugar levels affect the blood circulation in your body. It may lead to nerve damage in your body. Hence, people who have the onset of diabetes feel numbness in their feet and legs. It occurs due to nerve damage or neuropathy due to diabetes. Some people experience the tingling effect, pain, or sensation apart from numbness in their feet or legs.

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Unique Early Symptoms of Diabetes in Men and Women

Generally, a man and a woman experience the same signs and symptoms of diabetes in the initial stage. However, some symptoms are unique to men and women, respectively.

 Some Early Signs of Blood Sugar in Men include:

• Erectile dysfunction: As per the clinical diagnosis by Diabetes UK, erectile dysfunction is a common symptom of diabetes in men. They experience erectile dysfunction because of the low blood circulation in the pelvis area. There must be a significant flow of blood in the penis of a man to achieve an erection.
• Low Testosterone levels: As per a study conducted by the National Institute of Health, some medications for diabetes patients, like metformin dosage, lower testosterone levels in men. Men with low testosterone levels have high insulin resistance. Testosterone helps tissues take up more sugar and respond to insulin. Thus, it increases the risk of diabetes.
• Retrograde ejaculation: It is a kind of ejaculation problem that occurs when semen enters the bladder instead of coming out. Diabetes can cause retrograde ejaculation. People suffering from diabetic autonomy neuropathy due to poor control of their blood sugar levels can have retrograde ejaculation.
• Decreased sex drive: Men with diabetes experience low libido. Diabetes also reduces their sex drive. It is due to low levels of testosterone. It is a common symptom of diabetes in men. Therefore, men with such problems should check their blood glucose levels to know if they are developing diabetes.

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Some Early Symptoms of High Blood Sugar in Women Include:

• Female Sexual Dysfunction: According to the American Diabetes Association, women feel sexual dysfunction and reduced sexual desires when they have diabetes. Nerve damage due to diabetes is one of the causes of female sexual dysfunction. Nerve damage affects the different areas of the body. Therefore, they may lose sensation in the vaginal area, hands, and legs and leading to female sexual dysfunction.
• Urinary Infections: As found by the NLM, urinary tract infection or UTI is a common problem women face at the onset of diabetes. They suffer from painful urination followed by a burning sensation. Since diabetes restricts the proper blood circulation in the pelvis area of women thus, it causes UTIs. Women with diabetes need to consult the doctor immediately because infections do not heal early in people with diabetes and can be dangerous.
• Need to see your doctor at the right time: If you are experiencing the early signs and symptoms of diabetes, you should immediately make an appointment with your doctor. You can ask your doctor if you need to visit the clinic with a blood sugar test report. You can also ask what kind of diabetes test you should get to monitor your blood sugar levels. Discuss all the recent life changes that you have undergone in the past few days or months. Also, discuss the symptoms that you are experiencing.

If you experience any of the above symptoms, feel free to consult us. Our experts will help you understand the process of Diabetes Reversal and how you can get rid of these issues naturally, without medication.

Tests for Confirmation of Diabetes

In the present time, the diagnosis of diabetes is easy with the help of any of the following tests:

1. Fasting plasma glucose test: This test measures your blood glucose levels on an empty stomach. The person undergoing a fasting plasma glucose test needs to fast for around 8 to 10 hours. Therefore, people prefer to get this test done in the morning.
2. Random plasma glucose test: It measures your blood glucose levels at any point of the day regardless of your meals or when. A random plasma glucose test is not suitable for the diagnosis of pre-diabetes.
3. Oral Glucose tolerance test/Postprandial glucose test: This test is best suited for diagnosing gestational diabetes in pregnant women. In this test, the pregnant woman has to drink around 750 grams of sugary solutions for at least two hours before giving the sample. It requires fasting of at least eight hours and then consumption of sugary solutions.
4. Haemoglobin A1C test: This test calculates the average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months. The hemoglobin A1C or HbA1c test does not require fasting. It can confirm your diabetes as well as pre-diabetes.

You can take any tests to confirm your diabetes and blood sugar levels. Generally, the early signs and symptoms of diabetes go unnoticed. Therefore, you should keep checking your blood sugar levels half-yearly or annually to ensure you are not a pre-diabetic or diabetic. It is the best idea for those having a family history of diabetes to avoid delay in diabetes treatment if they have diabetes. This monitoring of blood sugar levels helps detect diabetes at an early stage. Since it’s just the beginning, you can get reverse diabetes within a few months. Following a sustainable Diet Plan provided by a Diet coach will help you maintain your blood sugar levels for life.

Measures to Control Diabetes

When the blood sugar test confirms your diabetes, you should start taking precautions to keep your blood sugar levels in control. In addition to the prescribed medications, you should also make some changes in your lifestyle. It will help you manage diabetes more effectively. The lifestyle changes that you should include in your life are:

• Healthy Eating: Give up eating junk and unhealthy foods (carbohydrate-rich). Switch to low-carb and high-fiber food. Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. It helps in regulating blood sugar levels in your body. According to the NIH, following a healthy meal plan can significantly reduce your blood sugar levels.
• Regular Exercise: Exercise is the best way to keep your body fit and healthy. People with diabetes especially need to exercise regularly. It helps them in maintaining healthy body weight and promotes better functioning of the pancreas in Insulin release. Therefore, it improves the body’s insulin sensitivity to manage blood sugar levels. But it is very important to understand the type of exercise you should do. Some patients think waking up or playing a sport makes the best workout. But that’s not true. Fitness experts can help you gain muscle weight and shred fat.
  

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Conclusion

The signs and symptoms of diabetes are mild in the initial stage. People who are pre-diabetic or have developed diabetes for the first time are unable to understand early symptoms. Thus, they delay seeking treatment from the doctor until their bodies start showing the signals of complications due to diabetes. Living a healthy life with diabetes becomes easy when you identify the early signs and symptoms of diabetes and start treatment immediately. Early detection helps in speedy diabetes reversal. Sooner Begun is Sooner Done!

FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)