Glucose is one of the energy sources that move our body. Carbohydrates ingested through food are digested and decomposed into glucose, which is absorbed into the blood in the form of glucose. In order for the absorbed glucose to be used by cells in our body, the action of insulin secreted by the pancreas is essential. If there is an abnormality in the secretion of insulin or a malfunction in the secretion of insulin due to various causes, glucose in the blood cannot move into the cells, so it accumulates in the blood and overflows in the urine. This pathological condition is called ‘diabetes’.
Diabetes diagnosis is made through blood glucose tests. Fasting blood glucose is 126 mg/dL or higher following fasting for more than 8 hours, plasma glucose level is 200 mg/dL or higher 2 hours following an oral glucose load of 75 g (taking a glucose solution), and glycated hemoglobin level Diabetes is determined when the value is 6.5% or higher.
In addition, if the blood glucose level is 100 to 125 mg/dL in the state of fasting for more than 8 hours, it is diagnosed as impaired fasting glucose, and if the blood glucose level following a meal is 140 to 199 mg/dL, it is diagnosed as impaired glucose tolerance. This is the pre-diabetes stage commonly referred to as this, so you should be careful because there is a high risk of developing diabetes at any time.
If blood sugar levels remain high, symptoms such as frequent urination, easily thirsty, and weight loss even following eating a lot may appear. However, in most cases, there are no specific symptoms in the early stages, and even if there are symptoms, it is not easy to recognize them. When blood sugar is high, it affects various organs and functions of the body, causing microvascular complications such as diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic retinopathy, and macrovascular complications such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Diabetic complications not only reduce the quality of life but also affect life, so it is necessary to prevent complications by early diagnosis, treatment, and management. For early diagnosis of diabetes, it is important to check blood sugar regularly through regular check-ups. Those who have a family history, have obesity, high blood pressure, or hyperlipidemia, have had abnormal blood sugar in the past, have experienced gestational diabetes or have had a large baby. In this case, it is classified as a high-risk group for diabetes.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you need to manage your eating habits along with treatment, measure your blood sugar steadily, and manage the levels to adjust them to an appropriate level.
In particular, even if it is still in the pre-diabetes stage, active management is necessary to prevent it from progressing to diabetes. Diabetes mellitus can be affected by a high-calorie, high-fat diet, lack of exercise, and stress. To prevent diabetes, eat a balanced diet centered on vegetables rich in fiber and maintain an appropriate weight through regular exercise. In addition, it is desirable to practice smoking cessation and abstinence from alcohol.
(Writing: Seongyeon Kim, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea Hospital)