How Routine Blood Tests Can Save You from Prediabetes
The Silent Epidemic You Need to Know About
You could be Prediabetic and unaware! This is an alarming reality which millions of Indians are suffering from but have absolutely no clue about. If I talk about stats, then nearly 136 million Indian people are prediabetic, out of which a large part remains undiagnosed.
Even in my own practice, I have observed this troubling trend. So many new clients discover they're prediabetic during their initial medical evaluation, which is part of my assessment protocol. This explains how much of a silent epidemic this is.
So, what is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes means impaired glucose regulation, where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range.
If you're prediabetic, it means you already have a metabolic health issue. You're not only at high risk for diabetes in the future but also:
cardiovascular disease by 10-20%
kidney problems by 40%
cognitive decline by up to 18%.
The best part is Prediabetes is reversible.
But how can you achieve that?
First and foremost, by being aware. Early detection is going to save you. That's why routine blood tests should be a part of our lifestyle.
And how can you detect if you have Prediabetes? The most common and accurate test is the HbA1C Test: An A1C level between 5.7% and 6.4% is consistent with prediabetes.
This test provides an average of your blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months.
Other tests that can be used are:
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) Test: A result between 100-125 mg/dL (5.6-6.9 mmol/L) indicates prediabetes. This test measures your blood glucose after an 8-hour fast.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT): A 2-hour post-load glucose level of 140-199 mg/dL (7.8-11.0 mmol/L) suggests prediabetes. This test assesses how your body processes glucose over time.
I repeat, Prediabetes is reversible, but only if you detect it early. This gives you a window of opportunity to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through lifestyle modifications only. You will be able to save yourself from lifelong medications and several other complications that arise due to diabetes.
So don't wait for symptoms - they often don't appear until diabetes has developed. Take proactive steps and schedule a blood glucose test.
(More about Prediabetes, in the next post...keep following this series.