What Are Signs I May Have Diabetes?

Diabetes is one of the most common conditions in the world, affecting more than 37 million people in the United States alone. 

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects your body’s ability to process glucose, resulting in high blood sugar levels. An estimated 96 million people have prediabetes, meaning they could soon be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

To avoid a diabetes diagnosis, it is important that you can recognize early indicators of the disease. The following are some signs that may mean you have diabetes:

Excessive Urination 

One of the earliest signs of diabetes is excessive and unusual urination. When you have diabetes, your body does not use sugar properly. The sugar collects in your blood, and your kidneys go into overdrive to remove it from the body. Your overworking kidneys lead to the constant urge to urinate.

Increased Thirst

With increased urination, you will start to experience increased thirst. Constant urination can cause your body to become dehydrated, and you will feel parched, even if you drink an adequate amount for your body weight.

Weight Loss

Another early indicator of diabetes is extreme and unintentional weight loss. If you’ve noticed that you are losing a lot of weight without really trying to, you may have diabetes. For some people, this can be as much as 10 pounds in one month. 

This weight loss occurs because your body is not processing glucose as it should be. Your cells become starved for glucose or energy and begin to find it elsewhere, causing you to burn fat at a rapid pace.

Diabetes Treatments

If you are experiencing these symptoms or other concerns, you may have diabetes or prediabetes. To get a proper diagnosis, speak to your regular physician. There are many treatment options for diabetes.

Some are exploring regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy for diabetes is a potential treatment approach that involves the use of stem cells to generate new insulin-producing cells that can help regulate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

Stem cells are cells that have the ability to differentiate into different cell types and can also self-renew and studies have shown that stem cells can differentiate into insulin-producing cells.