What number is prediabetes?

If you’re here, you must be wondering what the heck prediabetes means. Is it a superpower? Is it a rare Pokémon? Hang tight, because we’re about to get into all the spicy details.

Defining Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition that occurs when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. Think of it as being in limbo between being healthy and having diabetes – like waiting for the coffee machine to finish brewing but it’s taking its sweet time.

Fun fact: The medical term for this awkward state is ‘impaired glucose tolerance.’ It sounds fancy, but really just means your body isn’t processing sugar properly.

So how do you know if you have prediabetes? Besides growing an extra finger, there are several indicators – keep reading!

Symptoms of Prediabetes

Spoiler alert: Often there aren’t any noticeable symptoms tied specifically to prediabetes. Luckily though some signs can point towards elevated blood glucose levels:
– Excessive thirst or frequent urination
– Feeling tired more often
– Blurry vision (which doesn’t mean take off your glasses and try them on again)
– Slow-healing cuts or bruises

It’s important to note that these signs aren’t exclusive only with those who suffer from elevated blood glucose level so don’t freak out too much! Nevertheless, consistent monitoring can help catch problems before they turn into Type II Diabetes.

Now comes onto measuring what numerical value qualifies one as having pre-diabetic conditions.

Blood Glucose Levels

The American Diabetes Association has guidelines for diagnosing prediabetes based on three different tests: Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) & A1C test which we tend to call “the big three” around here. They measure different things in your blood, but they all give similar results.

Here’s a table that spells out the criteria for prediabetes diagnosis:
|Test | Prediabetes |
|- |-|
|FPG (mg/dL) |100-125|
|OGTT (2-hour plasma glucose) |140-199|
|A1C(%) |5.7 – 6.4|

Pro Tip: An A1C test involves getting your blood drawn and measures your average blood sugar levels over the past three months, while FPG requires fasting overnight before taking the test.

So if any of these “big three” tests come back with numbers in these ranges, congratulations! You’ve got yourself a one-way ticket to being monitored more closely by the doc & potentially branching off into Type II Diabetes!

Risks

Prediabetes is no joke and increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes; Just like staying home during Coronavirus reduces risks from contracting it so does following “healthy dietary practices” with monitoring glucose trends reduce those chances too! Here are other possible risks:

High Blood Pressure

People who have prediabetes tend to have higher-than-normal blood pressure readings – which causes mini-heart attacks everytime you see someone chewing gum since it’s such an infuriating activity for some reason?

Cardiovascular Disease

This includes stroke, heart attack or Peripheral Vascular Disease(PVD) which can cause painful leg cramps when walking. That long walk on the beach? Might have to cancel…all jokes aside this disease puts people at greater risk for experiencing cardiovascular incidents mentioned earlier

Nerve Damage

Lowering glucose levels also helps nervous system function better as elavated BGs tends harm nerve cells leading to numbness or pain around limbs

Now let’s say you’ve already been diagnosed with prediabetes.

Prevention Tips

You might be wondering if you’re locked in for the ride and becoming a diabetic is inevitable – Fret not, Here’re some tips to keep diabetes at gunpoint:

Exercise

Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of developing Type II Diabetes even by as much as 58% & improves heart health alongside it all.

Eating Well

Eating more vegetables & fruits helps tremendously in keeping blood sugar levels low; protein rich foods also take longer to digest so can help slow down carb absorption. Not hating on cheeseburgers or pizza days but moderate consumption does wonders

Quitting Smoking

Smoking increases insulin resistance which makes it harder for glucose to be digested properly which just means DON’T SMOKE.

Anyways, Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can go far beyond preventing prediabetes!

Conclusion

With any luck, we’ve answered your question ‘What number is Prediabetes?’ and provided useful information along the way. Even though that awkward ‘Impaired Glucose Tolerance’ zone may sound like something out of a sci-fi novel,it’s really quite common nowadays. Luckily taking consistent action towards monitoring BG Levels prevents further risks from happening!
Remember– Talk with your healthcare provider about regular testing habits suited specifically towards you!

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