High blood sugar is no joke. If left untreated, hyperglycemia can lead to a range of health issues, from nerve damage to cardiovascular disease and more. In addition to taking steps to reduce your sugar intake and exercise in order to keep your blood sugar regulated, it’s also important to keep an eye out for the warning signs so that you can solve the issue as soon as possible if it arises.
To learn about some of the tell-tale signs of high blood glucose levels, we spoke to Dr. Sony Sherpa, holistic physician from Nature’s Rise. She told us that frequent urination, excessive thirst, blurred vision, fatigue, and slow-healing wounds are all warnings that shouldn’t be ignored. Learn more below!
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1. Frequent urination
If you find yourself taking more bathroom breaks than seems usual despite drinking a normal amount of water, this may be one sign that you’re dealing with blood sure that’s too high. Dr. Sherap explains that this is an indication that your body is attempting to rid itself of that extra blood sugar: “This happens because the body tries to flush out excess glucose via urine,” she says.
2. Excessive thirst
Can’t get enough to drink lately, no matter how many times you go to get another glass of water? As it turns out, this could be another sign of high blood sugar. That’s because when your blood glucose levels are high, your body needs more water in your bloodstream–which means other areas aren’t getting enough. “High levels of glucose in the bloodstream draw water from other parts of your body into your bloodstream, causing extreme thirst and even dehydration,” Dr. Sherpa says. So if you feel dehydrated and can’t figure out why, your blood sugar levels may be to blame.
3. Fatigue
In addition to (and partly because of) dehydration, you may feel sluggish, sleepy, and fatigued throughout the day if you’re struggling with high blood glucose levels. This is because, as Dr. Sherpa tells us, “Too much glucose can interfere with normal metabolism and energy production leading to feelings of tiredness and weakness.” Of course, there are many other reasons you may feel tired, so it’s important not to jump to conclusions. “This should not be confused with feeling rundown due to lifestyle habits such as lack of sleep,” Dr. Sherpa reminds us. However, if you can’t find another reason for your fatigue, and you can check off some of the other signs on this list, it may be time to check in with your doctor about your blood sugar.
4. Blurred vision
Blurred vision can be a major tell-tale sign of hyperglycemia. As it turns out, just as your body pulling fluids into your bloodstream can lead to dehydration and thirst, it can also cause issues with your eyesight. “If left unchecked, elevated levels of glucose in your body can lead to pulling of fluid from tissues, including those around your eyes, causing them to swell up and leading to blurred vision,” Dr. Sherpa says. Yikes!
5. Inability to heal quickly and effectively
If injuries take a long time to heal and that papercut is lasting a lot longer than you think it should, you may be dealing with extremely high blood sugar levels. “When there is too much sugar running through your bloodstream, it impedes your ability to heal wounds quickly,” Dr. Sperpa notes. “As a result, cuts may take longer to heal than usual while bruises may stay longer on our skin.” For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to wounds and injuries throughout their healing process, especially if you’re worried you may have high blood sugar.
The bottom line
High blood sugar can take a serious toll on your health, so it’s important to keep an eye out for these warning signs. While there are multiple reasons you may run into any of the issues on this list, experiencing multiple ones at the same time is a good indication that you should check your blood glucose levels and get down to the bottom of things. After all, you know what they say: Better safe than sorry!
