Can You Prevent Prediabetes With Glucose Supplements?

In prediabetes, also called impaired glucose tolerance, the body fails to process glucose as it should, leading to levels that are higher than normal. This may be due to decreased sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that lowers blood glucose levels, or decreased production of insulin. Since glucose supplements are primarily used to treat hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, they are not beneficial for reducing high blood glucose levels in those at risk for prediabetes. The best way to prevent prediabetes is to become physically active, eat a healthy diet and maintain a healthy body weight, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Prediabetes Risk Factors

If left untreated, 40 to 50 percent of prediabetics will develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years, according to the International Diabetes Federation.The precise cause of prediabetes is unknown, yet the factors that predispose you to this condition are well-documented. Genetic factors may increase the risk of prediabetes in some people, but most of the risk factors are modifiable through lifestyle changes, notes MayoClinic.com. Being overweight, specifically carrying excess fat in the abdominal area, has a negative affect on insulin response. Lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet also are linked to impaired glucose tolerance.

Mechanism of Prediabetes

Your body is fueled by breaking down food from meals or glycogen from the liver into glucose, then releasing it into your blood stream. In response, beta cells in your pancreas cause insulin to be released into your blood. Insulin enables the glucose to enter your cells, which fuels their activities. Prolonged high blood glucose levels damage beta cells. It limits their ability to release insulin, which further harms glucose control. This leaves abnormally high amounts of glucose circulating in the blood stream that, over time, may damage many other types of cells, including those in the nerves, eyes and kidneys.

How Prediabetes is Diagnosed

Prediabetes is commonly diagnosed in two ways; the oral glucose tolerance test, OGTT, or the fasting plasma glucose test, FPG, notes the American Diabetes Association. Both require you to fast overnight and are equally accurate. With the FPG, blood glucose is measured the morning after your fast but before breakfast. With the OGTT, that measurement is followed by another two hours after you drink a glucose solution. Both tests measure glucose via a blood draw from a vein in your arm.

Preventive Lifestyle Changes

Prediabetics that lost 5 to 10 percent of their body weight while doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent in the Diabetes Prevention Program study, reports the American Diabetes Association. If you are overweight, work with a registered dietitian and your doctor to create a personalized meal plan that promotes weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Adopt a diet rich in plant-based foods that are high in nutrients and fiber, yet low in fat and total calories.
If you are not physically active, get clearance from your health care provider to begin an exercise program. Start with exercise sessions as short as 10 minutes, then gradually work your way up to 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity. Examples include walking, biking or swimming, but you should explore activities until you find one that you like and are willing to make a permanent part of your lifestyle.