Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSelf-checks/At-Home TestingLabs and TestsDifferential DiagnosesFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Type 2 Diabetes GuideType 2 Diabetes Medication and Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Self-checks/At-Home Testing
Labs and Tests
Differential Diagnoses
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Type 2 Diabetes Guide
Diagnosingtype 2 diabetesrequires a series of lab tests looking for markers of elevated glucose, or blood sugar. Such tests are necessary, as type 2 diabetes may or may not have noticeable symptoms, or symptoms may crossover with other conditions.
The diagnosis often is made during an annual physical or checkup. Your healthcare provider may order a hemoglobin A1C test, a fasting blood sugar (FBS) test, or an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) as part of regular screening to check blood sugar levels and to help determine if you have diabetes.
Alex Dos Diaz / Verywell
Self-Checks/At-Home Testing
According to the latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 37.3 million Americans, or about 11% of the population, has diabetes.
An additional 96 million American adults, or approximately 38% of the population, has prediabetes. Despite increased awareness efforts, many people with diabetes or prediabetes continue to be unaware of their condition.
While symptoms of diabetes may be hard to pinpoint, there are several signs that frequently coincide with high blood sugar and may be indicative of diabetes, such as:
A buildup of blood sugar may also result inskin conditions associated with diabetes—in particular:
Both conditions are thought to be related to insulin resistance.
Routine screening for type 2 diabetes is recommended for everyone every three years beginning at age 35, and more frequently if symptoms develop or risks change (i.e., weight gain). Your healthcare provider may also recommend screening for adults with obesity or overweight who have one or more of the following known risk factors for diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes usually is diagnosed with the hemoglobin A1C test, but if that test isn’t available or you have a hemoglobin variant that makes testing difficult, your healthcare provider will need to order another blood glucose test.
Your healthcare provider may also perform additional tests to rule out type 1 diabetes, as elevated blood glucose levels can be present initially in both type 1 and type 2.
Hemoglobin A1C Test
Thehemoglobin A1C testlooks at the percentage of glucose that is attached to hemoglobin, a protein that makes up part of your red blood cells. The test gives a glimpse of your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months, which is the approximate lifespan of red blood cells. One advantage of this test is that it does not require fasting.
Some people of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian descent may have a genetic variation in their hemoglobin that could give falsely high or falsely low results.
Random Plasma Glucose Test (RPG)
A random blood sugar test looks at blood glucose levels regardless of when you’ve last eaten for a snapshot of your blood sugar status. This test is usually performed when healthcare professionals want to take a look at your blood sugar without having to wait for you to fast and so it can be performed at any time.
While a diagnosis of diabetes can be made with the help of this test, it is not usually used to diagnose prediabetes.
Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG)
The FPG test looks at fasted blood glucose levels at a single point in time. A fasting test means you can’t eat for eight to 10 hours before you have your blood drawn. Most healthcare providers recommend getting tested first thing in the morning after fasting all night.
Fasting glucose higher than 126 mg/dL indicatestype 2 diabetes.Your healthcare provider will likely repeat the fasting blood sugar test on two separate occasions to confirm the diagnosis.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
TheOGTTis a glucose challenge test. Fasting blood glucose is usually taken first to establish a baseline level. Then you are given a drink that contains 75 grams of glucose (sugar). Two hours later another blood sample is drawn to check your glucose level.
If your glucose is over 200 mg/dl, then a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is likely.Again, your healthcare provider will usually perform this test on two different occasions before a confirmed diagnosis is made.
Beyond type 2 diabetes, there are several other conditions that may be at play and could result in similar symptoms or even possibly blood work showing elevated glucose levels:
Prediabetes
Insulin resistance or impaired glucose tolerance may be affecting how your body processes and metabolizes glucose, but you may not be in the midst of full-blown type 2 diabetes just yet. If you haveprediabetes, your healthcare provider can help you craft a treatment plan to make lifestyle changes in order to prevent the disease from progressing.
Type 1 Diabetes or Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults
Metabolic Syndrome
Elevated blood sugar is just one piece of the constellation of factors contributing to metabolic syndrome, which is thought to be linked to insulin resistance. Other criteria for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome include three out of five of the following factors:
Treatment for metabolic syndrome includes modification of many lifestyle factors including diet, exercise, and stress, but risk factors usually decrease with positive changes.
Hyperthyroidism
Mildhyperglycemia(high glucose levels) and symptoms such as fatigue, tingling, anxiety, and weight loss may be associated withhyperthyroidismor overactivity of the thyroid gland and overproduction of thyroxine.Your healthcare provider may perform additional testing to check for sufficient thyroid function before ruling out this diagnosis.
Type 2 Diabetes Healthcare Provider Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
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Summary
This doesn’t mean you’ll need to dramatically cut back on your eating: Your healthcare team can help you create a weight loss plan that includes not only a healthy and satisfying diet, but also moderate exercise (brisk walking,swimming, or cycling for 30 minutes, five days per week) along with medication if necessary, supplements, and stress-management practices. In some ways, while obviously unwelcome,a diabetes diagnosis can mean positive changes in your health and well-beingyou may not have made otherwise.
Frequent urination, frequent thirst, excessive hunger, extreme fatigue, tingling in feet or hands, blurry vision, and cuts and bruises that are slow to heal are symptoms of diabetes that warrant testing.
The American Diabetes Association recommends being screened starting at age 35. If results are normal, screening should be done every three years as long as no risk factors or health changes develop. Those with risk factors including a family history of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, previous gestational diabetes, obesity, or a sedentary lifestyle may be advised to undergo screening for diabetes at an earlier age or more frequently.
If you have a family member or friend who has diabetes and a glucose meter, you can ask to use their meter to test your blood sugar (just be sure to use a fresh lancet) or you can purchase one at your local pharmacy. If your reading is over 200, contact your healthcare provider to be tested for diabetes.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.National diabetes statistics report.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diabetes symptoms.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes and skin complications.
American Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee.2. Diagnosis and classification of diabetes:Standards of Care in Diabetes-2024.Diabetes Care. 2024;47(Suppl 1):S20-S42. doi:10.2337/dc24-S002
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.The A1C test & race/ethnicity.
Evert AB, Dennison M, Gardner CD, et al.Nutrition therapy for adults with diabetes or prediabetes: A consensus report.Diabetes Care. 2019;42(5):731-754. doi:10.2337/dci19-0014
National Institutes of Health: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of diabetes.
Chen RH, Chen HY, Man KM, et al.Thyroid diseases increased the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A nation-wide cohort study.Medicine. 2019;98(20):e15631. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000015631
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