Prediabetes is a condition that usually turns into type 2 diabetes within 10 years if 5 to 7 percent of body weight is not lost, according to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Prediabetes is also called metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, syndrome x, impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance. Notify your doctor if you experience signs and symptoms of prediabetes.
Dark Patches of Skin
Dark patches of skin on the knees, knuckles, armpits and elbows or a dark ring around the neck can indicate prediabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. This condition is called acanthosis nigricans. It provides major evidence of insulin resistance and should be brought to a doctor's attention.
Elevated Blood Sugar
Elevated blood sugar, or glucose, is a sign of prediabetes and can be measured in two ways. A fasting blood glucose is usually checked in the morning before eating. The level will be higher than normal yet not high enough to qualify as diabetes. Fasting glucose levels of 100 to 125 mg/dL indicate prediabetes, according to the NDIC. Glycated hemoglobin tests a person's average blood sugar level for the past two to three months, and an elevated result can indicate prediabetes.
Impaired Glucose Tolerance
The oral glucose tolerance test measures blood glucose after fasting for at least eight hours and again two hours after drinking a sugary liquid provided by a laboratory. Blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to diagnose diabetes are a sign of prediabetes.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that indicate possible prediabetes when they occur together, according to the Mayo Clinic. Included are a waist measurement that is greater than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men, a triglyceride level over 150 mg/dl, HDL, or good, cholesterol below 40 mg/dl in men and 50 mg/dl in women, systolic blood pressure higher than 120 or diastolic blood pressure higher than 80 and a fasting blood sugar of 100 mg/dl or higher. Waist measurement guidelines don't apply in those with a family history of diabetes. The presence of metabolic syndrome increases the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
References
- Pub Med: Early Identification and Treatment of Insulin Resistance: Impact on Subsequent Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
- Mayo Clinic: Prediabetes
- Mayo Clinic: Metabolic Syndrome
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Insulin Resistance and Pre-diabetes
- Archives of Dermatology: Metabolic Importance of Acanthosis Nigricans
