Most of us have heard of diabetes before and probably even know someone who has it! But have you ever heard of the condition borderline diabetes (or prediabetes)? While it’s less commonly talked about, it’s basically the same thing, just a step behind. According to Best Health, there are roughly 84 million Americans who have borderline diabetes, also known as prediabetes. This amounts to roughly 1 in 3 Americans, says the source.
Borderline diabetes is the condition leading up to type 2 diabetes. The pancreas is still producing enough of the hormone to respond to ingested carbohydrates, says Healthline, but it’s less effective at removing the sugar from the bloodstream, so blood sugar levels remain high. It doesn’t mean the patient will for sure develop diabetes, but it’s essentially a warning sign of what’s may be coming in the near future. While it can be scary to be diagnosed with prediabetes or borderline diabetes, it can also be a great wake up call and in some cases, provide an opportunity to change course. Here’s a look at some of the telltale signs and symptoms of borderline diabetes…
1. No Symptoms
We’re going to get this one out of the way first. It can be scary to hear that a condition as serious as borderline diabetes doesn’t present any symptoms, but unfortunately it’s true. Possibly one of the reasons why many people don’t catch diabetes in the early “prediabetes” stages is because they have no idea what is going on internally. When they do, it’s too late and they’ve already developed type 2 diabetes. According to Healthline, “only 10-percent of people with prediabetes even know they have it because many don’t display any symptoms.”
