High blood sugar levels (or hyperglycemia) are a symptom of diabetes mellitus. They are also a precursor to this disease, which can be life-limiting. When you ingest sugar or any food high on the Glycemic Index (GI), your blood sugar levels quickly increase. They peak within 45 minutes of eating. In a normal person, the blood sugar then begins to decrease. Within 2 hours, it’s back to normal levels. When you eat foods that are low on the GI, your blood sugar rises and stays level for an extended time before declining again.
In a diabetic person, the blood sugar levels cannot be managed by the body and do not lower. These constant high blood sugar levels place an enormous strain on the organs and cells of the body. After a prolonged period of not addressing high blood sugar levels, permanent damage is possible. That is why most diabetics have to use insulin. Our bodies produce insulin in the pancreas. A normal body produces enough insulin to control blood sugar levels. A diabetic’s pancreas cannot produce enough insulin. So, people with diabetes must supplement the insulin supply in their bodies.
Another way to manage and minimize the blood sugar levels is to eat foods that are low on the glycemic index. That way the body’s blood sugar levels are not on a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. Therefore, most diabetics have to be careful about what they eat and drink. They avoid sugary drinks and foods rich in bad carbohydrates.
Studies suggest that many people have high blood sugar levels but aren’t even aware of it. They are a ticking time bomb because their bodies are becoming more and more damaged. If they aren’t aware of their condition, they won’t change their eating habits and seek help. If you display some of these symptoms, you may have high blood sugar levels. A simple blood test can determine this. It may not yet be diabetes, and dietary changes and exercise will be treatment enough.
6. Increased appetite
This is a recognized indicator of high blood sugar levels. Excessive hunger or increased appetite is called polyphagia. It’s been described as ‘starving in the land of plenty.’ No matter how much you eat or how frequently you eat, you never feel full. How can it be possible? Polyphagia is not unique to people with high blood sugar levels. It can also occur in people with eating disorders, stress, depression, anxiety, or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland)
If your blood sugar levels are high, the sugar is not absorbed into your system where the cells convert it to energy. Your body does not absorb the glucose either because it doesn’t produce insulin, or because it has developed insulin resistance. Whichever of these is the cause, the problem remains that your body is prevented from absorbing the glucose. The glucose is then expelled from the body.
Your cells are left with no glucose to help them produce energy. This will immediately make you feel hungry. Your cells are crying out for glucose. So, they’ll send messages to your brain to convince you that you’re hungry. But no matter how much you eat, it won’t help if your body can’t absorb the glucose. And if the glucose isn’t absorbed, your cells still can’t make energy.
In this situation, the best response is exercise. When you exercise, it reduces the glucose levels in the blood. This allows some to be absorbed into the cells to produce energy. In turn, this curbs your appetite. While it might not be the thing you want to most at that moment, turning to exercise will help. If you experience an onset of what you believe may be polyphagia, you should see a doctor. It is vital that your blood sugar levels are tested.
7. Your mouth feels dry all the time
The medical term for ‘dry mouth’ is xerostomia. It is a common sign of high blood sugar levels and diabetes. It is advisable to seek medical advice if you have dry mouth and suspect that you may have diabetes. Dry mouth is caused by a shortage of saliva in the mouth. The symptomatic characteristics of dry mouth are cracked or chapped lips, rough or dry tongue, mouth sores, gum or tooth cavity infections. Dry mouth makes talking, chewing, and swallowing difficult because saliva is needed for these functions.
There are many causes of dry mouth. They include kidney dialysis, protracted breathing through the mouth, and dehydration. Dry mouth can also be a result of side effects of certain medications. Scientists are still researching why people get dry mouth. Definitive reasons for certain conditions manifesting themselves through xerostomia have not yet been established. Effective treatment for dry mouth is only possible once the underlying condition causing it has been established.
If you have high blood sugar levels, lowering them through exercise and a better diet will alleviate your dry mouth symptoms. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, your medication may help to ease the symptoms too. There are simple things you can do to treat your dry mouth. They include steering clear of foods and beverages rich in caffeine, sugar, or sweeteners, and drinking enough water.
Floss your teeth after every meal and use toothpicks to remove plaque from your teeth. Keep your teeth clean by brushing them twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, chewing gum, or sucking mints which contain xylitol. These measures keep the teeth clean to prevent sores in the mouth and oral or dental infections.
8. You may feel short of breath
Shortness of breath is related to very high blood sugar levels. It is a sign that your blood sugar levels have been at a high level for quite some time already. If you do not treat your high blood sugar levels, you can experience ketoacidosis. This is commonly known as a diabetic coma. It is caused by a lack of insulin in the body. This lack of insulin is an indicator that your pancreas is no longer producing insulin. This is the cause of diabetes. The lack of insulin makes it impossible for your body to absorb the glucose and convert it to energy.
The body needs the energy to function. When it cannot absorb glucose to manufacture energy, it starts burning fat to make energy. As the body does this, waste by-products called ketones are produced. Ketones are bad for your body.
When you have a large number of ketones in your bloodstream, your body tries to get rid of them through the urine. However, this is not enough. So many ketones are in the blood that not all can be expelled from the body. They remain behind and build up. This leads to ketoacidosis, which is potentially fatal and must be treated immediately.
It is advised that people with ketones don’t exercise. If you experience the symptoms of ketoacidosis of which shortness of breath is one, see your doctor. Testing your blood sugar levels will determine if ketones are present in the blood. The reason is that exercising in these conditions will increase the number of ketones in the blood. Exercise burns energy. If your body has resorted to burning fat because it can’t absorb glucose, you’ll raise your ketone level. This can lead to ketoacidosis.
9. You may find it difficult to concentrate and remember things
Memory loss, confusion, and difficulty concentrating can be related to several conditions. These include depression, stress, alcohol abuse, Alzheimer’s disease, side effects of medications, or an underactive thyroid gland. However, they are also associated with high blood sugar levels that have been untreated for some time.
The symptoms of memory loss include forgetting close friends and family members’ names or where things in your home are. You could forget something significant that happened to you, or you’ll forget something you’ve recently done. You might walk into a room and not remember why you went there in the first place.
Confusion symptoms include not being sure where you are and how you got there, or not being able to make choices or decisions. You may find yourself in the shop unable to choose what to eat for dinner. Difficulty concentrating includes symptoms like ‘drifting off’ in the middle of a task, or inability to focus on any one thing. Sometimes you find yourself starting the same task again because you weren’t concentrating when you began.
Your memory, clarity of thought, and ability to concentrate are functions that your brain controls. The parts of the brain that control these functions may be affected by prolonged high blood sugar levels. Your body is struggling to produce energy because it cannot absorb the glucose in the bloodstream. This lack of energy production affects different parts of the body. The brain is no exception. In an effort to keep other parts of the brain and body functioning, some parts may be deprived of energy. If the parts of your brain that control memory and concentration do not receive enough energy, they cannot function optimally.
10. You may have abdominal pain or gastrointestinal issues
Conditions that affect the gastrointestinal (GI) system are common in people with high blood sugar levels or diabetes. The length of time the blood sugar levels are raised and how high they are can take a toll on your GI tract.
A common ailment associated with high blood sugar levels is called gastroparesis. This is characterized by a delay stomach’s ability to empty its contents. Sustained high blood sugar levels can damage the vagus nerve. This nerve is important as it assists with the regulation of the whole digestive system. When the vagus nerve is damaged, the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract cannot work properly. This results in food not being pumped through the digestive system. Instead, it stays behind, and its movement is delayed. Gastroparesis symptoms include heartburn (indigestion), vomiting food that is undigested, bloating of the stomach area, and unexplained weight loss.
The food that lies in the stomach for protracted time periods is dangerous in that bacteria can start to grow. The food can also form solid lumps. These lumps can cause a blockage in the digestive system. The food cannot enter and move through the small intestine. This can cause intense abdominal cramping. When the food finally moves into the small intestine, it causes a spike in blood sugar levels. If these are already high, another boost can cause severe damage or illness.
The best way to deal with a condition such as a gastroparesis brought on by high blood sugar levels is to eat a healthy diet and exercise. These approaches lower your blood sugar. Consider eating up to six small meals a day instead of three big ones. This allows your digestive system to process smaller amounts of food at a time.