High blood glucose levels in the brain can make a person more anxious, irritable, angry, and unable to concentrate. These mood changes may improve when blood sugar levels return to normal.
5. Hunger and weight gain
Persistently high blood sugar makes weight loss difficult, a key factor in managing prediabetes. Insulin resistance makes it hard for cells to absorb glucose from the blood, leading to sugar buildup and increased hunger. As a result, the body stores excess sugar as fat.
6. Frequent urination and excessive thirst
When the body has excess glucose, the kidneys cannot reabsorb all the sugar and return it to the bloodstream. As a result, sugar leaves the body through urine, increasing the frequency of urination and causing excessive thirst.
7. Numbness and tingling in the feet and hands
People with prediabetes may experience numbness and tingling in their feet and hands, symptoms of peripheral neuropathy caused by damage to nerve fibers. This condition is often linked to impaired glucose tolerance.
8. Digestive problems
People with prediabetes may experience an increased frequency of gas, bloating, early satiety, nausea, heartburn, and constipation. This can be due to damage to the vagus nerve, resulting from chemical changes in the nerves caused by high blood sugar.
9. Joint pain
People with prediabetes often have excess body weight, which puts extra pressure on the joints, especially in the lower body, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis. Approximately 32% of adults with prediabetes also suffer from arthritis.
10. Skin problems
