The phrase “too much sugar in your body” can be misleading. Your blood needs glucose for energy, but persistently high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) can be a sign of diabetes or prediabetes. You cannot reliably tell your blood-sugar level from symptoms alone.
8 possible signs of high blood sugar
- Urinating frequently, especially at night
- Being unusually thirsty
- Increased hunger
- Unexplained weight loss
- Feeling unusually tired or weak
- Blurred vision
- Cuts or wounds that heal slowly
- Frequent infections, including skin or urinary infections
Some people with prediabetes or early diabetes have no symptoms at all.
What to do
- Get your blood glucose tested rather than trying to diagnose yourself from symptoms. An A1C or fasting blood-glucose test can help identify prediabetes or diabetes.
- Reduce sugary drinks, sweets and highly refined foods, and emphasize vegetables, legumes, whole grains, protein and appropriately sized portions.
- Stay physically active according to your abilities.
- If you already have diabetes, follow your prescribed treatment and monitor your glucose as recommended.
🚨 When it’s urgent
Very high blood sugar accompanied by vomiting, severe weakness, confusion, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, or unusual sleepiness can be an emergency.
And remember: fruit and other foods containing natural carbohydrates aren’t the same as eating large amounts of added sugar. The overall diet and your blood-glucose levels matter more than avoiding every gram of sugar.
