Blood sugar refers to glucose, or a simple sugar, in the blood. Glucose comes into the body from food that's eaten, and the body also forms and stores it inside. The cells inside the body use sugar as their main source of energy. High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, happens when the body doesn't make enough insulin or it doesn't respond to insulin properly. Many factors can cause high blood sugar levels, and the symptoms that develop vary from person to person.
Increased Hunger
The pancreas produces insulin--a hormone that regulates blood glucose levels, and people who have diabetes either have decreased insulin activity from an insufficient amount of insulin produced or their cells can't use a normal amount of insulin. According to Endocrineweb, increased hunger develops as a sign of high blood sugar because the cells can't use the extra glucose that's circulating around in the blood for a source of energy. The body recognizes that it needs energy to function appropriately, so it triggers a hunger sensation to obtain the necessary amount of energy it requires.
Weight Loss
Endocrineweb says that people with diabetes experience a decrease in the cells' ability to obtain energy by removing sugar from the blood. Therefore, a constant high blood sugar level forces the body to break down muscle and use stored fat to provide fuel and energy to the cells, according to TeensHealth.org. A person may experience weight loss even though her appetite has stayed the same or increased.
Increased Urination
The excess blood sugar filters through the kidneys and trickles into the urine. TeensHealth.org says the kidneys respond to the high levels of sugar in the blood by flushing out the extra sugar in the urine. A person who has a high blood sugar level experiences increased urination because the extra sugar alerts the body to send for more water in an attempt to excrete it out.
Increased Thirst
A high blood sugar level often causes a person to experience increased thirst. The body can sense the water it lost from frequent urination, and it triggers a thirsty sensation to replenish the fluid, according to Endocrineweb. The person then drinks fluids in response to her thirst, and a cycle of frequent urination followed by extra fluid intake ensues.
