An elevated blood sugar level, also known as hyperglycemia, has many causes. Diets high in sugars and carbohydrates, lack of exercise and diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, all raise or keep levels of glucose in the blood high. Regardless of the cause, high blood sugar levels need to be monitored by your physician.
Weight Loss
Dr. Steven Dowshen, a pediatric endocrinologist writing for the Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, explains that when your body is unable to utilize sugar for energy, it will break down muscles and stored fats. This leads to weight loss.
Excessive Urination
Dr. Dowshen also explains that if your blood has too much glucose that your cells are unable to utilize for energy, your body must find other means to rid itself of the sugar. The kidneys will attempt to flush out excess glucose by producing more urine.
Thirst
As your kidneys make more urine to flush out the excess glucose, your body loses large amounts of water. Thirst is your body's way to encourage you to drink more fluids and prevent dehydration.
Fatigue
Excess blood sugar accumulates due to the body's inability to get glucose into the cells to use for energy. This inability to channel energy to the cells where it is needed leads to fatigue. Fatigue associated with high blood sugar is one reason diabetics and those with hyperglycemia do not want to exercise. This only makes the problem worse, as exercise is known to lower blood sugar levels.
Blurry Vision
According to an information sheet published on Cornell University's academic websites, prolonged periods of high blood sugar can cause an accumulation of sugar and its breakdown products in the lens, causing nearsightedness and blurry vision. This is a reversible symptom. If blood sugar levels return to normal, your vision will too.
Ketoacidosis
Hyperglycemia is a serious condition. If undiagnosed or untreated, the final symptom is a condition called ketoacidosis. This occurs when your body does not have enough insulin or it fails to respond to the insulin it is given. The American Diabetes Association explains that without insulin, your body will break down fats to use as energy. When this happens, ketones are released. Your body rids itself of this waste product through the urine, but if there is a build up of ketones the body cannot expel, the ketones will accumulate in the blood at a toxic level. Unless the process is corrected, the result can be a coma or death.
