Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsPossible SymptomsRare SymptomsComplicationsWhen to Seek CareFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Possible Symptoms
Rare Symptoms
Complications
When to Seek Care
Frequently Asked Questions
Approximately 38% of adults and 28% of children in the United States haveprediabetes, a health condition associated with abnormally high blood sugar levels.While blood sugar (glucose) levels are elevated in prediabetes, they are not high enough to be diagnosed astype 2 diabetes.
This article highlights the possible symptoms of prediabetes, including extreme thirst, frequent urination, and blurry vision. It also reviews the complications that may arise if the condition is not managed.
Jessica Peterson / Getty Images
Prediabetes is not a harmless condition since it predates the onset of type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease that could result in disorders of the circulatory system, the nervous system, and the immune system.
Most children and adults with prediabetes do not have symptoms, especially early on in the disease.
If prediabetic symptoms do exist, they most commonly include one or more of the following:
Excessive Thirst
Excessive thirst, also calledpolydipsia, results from high blood sugar (glucose) levels in the body.
Usually, glucose in your bloodstream is filtered and reabsorbed in your kidneys. With high glucose levels, however, the proteins that typically bind to and reabsorb glucose within your kidneys become saturated.
As a result, glucose is not reabsorbed but released into the urine, where it naturally draws water in. When glucose leaves your body through the urine taking water with it, your brain’s thirst response is triggered to replete the lost water volume.
Ensure Adequate HydrationIf you have prediabetes and are feeling thirsty, it’s essential to stick to water or caffeine-free drinks like seltzer water, herbal tea, or sugar-free lemonade. Remember also to limit your alcohol intake since alcohol contains sugar and can dehydrate you.
Ensure Adequate Hydration
If you have prediabetes and are feeling thirsty, it’s essential to stick to water or caffeine-free drinks like seltzer water, herbal tea, or sugar-free lemonade. Remember also to limit your alcohol intake since alcohol contains sugar and can dehydrate you.
Frequent Urination
Frequent urination, also calledpolyuria, typically goes hand in hand with excessive thirst.
Large amounts of water are released through the urine when your blood sugar levels are elevated. This water loss in your urine can lead to tissuedehydrationand symptoms like nausea, dizziness, headaches, constipation, and fainting.
If you feel the urge to urinate frequently, with no other apparent cause (such as from having consumed excessive caffeinated drinks), reach out to your healthcare provider. This could be a sign of prediabetes.
Blurry Vision
Blurry vision is a prominent, early symptom of diabetic retinopathy.
Additional symptoms may include:
If you are experiencing blurry vision, it’s important to see your healthcare provider and have your blood sugar levels checked.
Undergo Screening Eye ExamsIf you have already been diagnosed with prediabetes, be sure to see an eye care professional, such as anophthalmologist(a doctor specializing in eye diseases), for periodic screening eye exams. This remains true even if you are not experiencing any vision changes.
Undergo Screening Eye Exams
If you have already been diagnosed with prediabetes, be sure to see an eye care professional, such as anophthalmologist(a doctor specializing in eye diseases), for periodic screening eye exams. This remains true even if you are not experiencing any vision changes.
Other Prediabetic Symptoms
Other possible symptoms of prediabetes to watch out for include:
Two rare but potentially life-threatening conditions that may develop in people whose prediabetes has progressed to type 2 diabetes (perhaps without their knowing it) are:
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
Diabetic ketoacidosisoccurs when the body breaks down fat, producing toxic acids calledketones. The body does this in response to insufficient insulin levels. Insulin is a hormone that helps move blood sugar into cells, which can be used for energy.
Symptoms of DKA may include:
Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS)
HHNSinvolves extremely high blood sugar levels leading to severe dehydration. It’s most common in older adults but can occur in children and adolescents.
Symptoms of HHNS may include:
Complications of Prediabetes
Most complications of prediabetes manifest as a result of long-standing and untreated high blood sugar levels.
If not treated, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes and cause these complications:
Complications of Type 2 Diabetes
When to See a Healthcare Provider
See your healthcare provider if you notice any symptoms or signs of prediabetes, such as feelingthirsty, hungry, or tired more than usual, urinating more frequently, or experiencing blurry vision.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults begin screening for prediabetes or diabetes at the age of 35.Screening is also recommended for children who have entered puberty or are at least 10 years old, are overweight or obese, and have at least one other risk factor for type 2 diabetes.
If left undiagnosed, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes and cause serious damage to vital organs, including the kidneys, eyes, nerves, heart, and blood vessels.
The good news is that lifestyle changes, such as eating nutritiously, losing weight if overweight or obese, staying physically active, and quitting smoking, can delay, if not prevent, the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Summary
Prediabetes is a health condition in which a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than usual but below the threshold for a diagnosis of diabetes. Most people with prediabetes have no symptoms; if they do, symptoms are often subtle. They may include excessive thirst, a frequent urge to urinate, or blurry vision, among others.
If prediabetes is not managed, it can develop into type 2 diabetes, and complications involving the eyes, nerves, blood vessels, and kidneys may occur.
Even if you are not experiencing any prediabetic symptoms (or they are subtle), do not hesitate to get your blood sugar levels checked. Earlier detection means more time to take control of your health and prevent type 2 diabetes.
Frequently Asked QuestionsEven though most people with prediabetes have no symptoms, early ones may include excessive thirst, frequent urge to urinate, blurry vision, and extreme tiredness.Certain lifestyle behaviors, including eating nutritiously, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying physically active can delay, if not prevent, prediabetes from developing into diabetes.Learn MoreWhat to Eat to Better Regulate Your Blood SugarSkin tagsare benign (harmless) outgrowths of normal skin that are common in adults and increase with age. Research suggests they may be a sign of prediabetes and other conditions, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.Learn MoreDiabetes and Your Skin
Even though most people with prediabetes have no symptoms, early ones may include excessive thirst, frequent urge to urinate, blurry vision, and extreme tiredness.
Certain lifestyle behaviors, including eating nutritiously, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying physically active can delay, if not prevent, prediabetes from developing into diabetes.Learn MoreWhat to Eat to Better Regulate Your Blood Sugar
Certain lifestyle behaviors, including eating nutritiously, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying physically active can delay, if not prevent, prediabetes from developing into diabetes.
Learn MoreWhat to Eat to Better Regulate Your Blood Sugar
Skin tagsare benign (harmless) outgrowths of normal skin that are common in adults and increase with age. Research suggests they may be a sign of prediabetes and other conditions, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.Learn MoreDiabetes and Your Skin
Skin tagsare benign (harmless) outgrowths of normal skin that are common in adults and increase with age. Research suggests they may be a sign of prediabetes and other conditions, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Learn MoreDiabetes and Your Skin
9 SourcesVerywell 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.Prevalence of Prediabetes Among Adults.Bansal N.Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: A review.World J Diabetes. 2015 Mar 15;6(2):296-303. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.296Gundamaraju R, Vemuri R.Pathophysiology of Greedy Colon and Diabetes: Role of Atropine in worsening of Diabetes.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2014 Jan-Jun;4(1):51-54. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1096Kirthi V, Nderitu P, Alam U,et al.Prevalence of retinopathy in prediabetes: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open2021;11:e040997. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040997Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state: a historic review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.Diabetes Care. 2014 Nov;37(11):3124-31. doi:10.2337/dc14-0984Papatheodorou K, Banach M, Bekiari E, Rizzo M, Edmonds M.Complications of Diabetes2017.J Diabetes Res. 2018 Mar 11;2018:3086167. doi:10.1155/2018/3086167American Diabetes Association.2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Supplement 1):S17-S38. doi:10.2337/dc22-S002Sheng Z, Cao JY, Pang YC, et al.Effects of lifestyle modification and anti-diabetic medicine on prediabetes progress: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:455. doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00455Shah R, Jindal A, Patel N.Acrochordons as a cutaneous sign of metabolic syndrome: a case-control study.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):202-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.129040
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.Prevalence of Prediabetes Among Adults.Bansal N.Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: A review.World J Diabetes. 2015 Mar 15;6(2):296-303. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.296Gundamaraju R, Vemuri R.Pathophysiology of Greedy Colon and Diabetes: Role of Atropine in worsening of Diabetes.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2014 Jan-Jun;4(1):51-54. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1096Kirthi V, Nderitu P, Alam U,et al.Prevalence of retinopathy in prediabetes: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open2021;11:e040997. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040997Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state: a historic review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.Diabetes Care. 2014 Nov;37(11):3124-31. doi:10.2337/dc14-0984Papatheodorou K, Banach M, Bekiari E, Rizzo M, Edmonds M.Complications of Diabetes2017.J Diabetes Res. 2018 Mar 11;2018:3086167. doi:10.1155/2018/3086167American Diabetes Association.2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Supplement 1):S17-S38. doi:10.2337/dc22-S002Sheng Z, Cao JY, Pang YC, et al.Effects of lifestyle modification and anti-diabetic medicine on prediabetes progress: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:455. doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00455Shah R, Jindal A, Patel N.Acrochordons as a cutaneous sign of metabolic syndrome: a case-control study.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):202-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.129040
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.Prevalence of Prediabetes Among Adults.Bansal N.Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: A review.World J Diabetes. 2015 Mar 15;6(2):296-303. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.296Gundamaraju R, Vemuri R.Pathophysiology of Greedy Colon and Diabetes: Role of Atropine in worsening of Diabetes.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2014 Jan-Jun;4(1):51-54. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1096Kirthi V, Nderitu P, Alam U,et al.Prevalence of retinopathy in prediabetes: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open2021;11:e040997. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040997Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state: a historic review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.Diabetes Care. 2014 Nov;37(11):3124-31. doi:10.2337/dc14-0984Papatheodorou K, Banach M, Bekiari E, Rizzo M, Edmonds M.Complications of Diabetes2017.J Diabetes Res. 2018 Mar 11;2018:3086167. doi:10.1155/2018/3086167American Diabetes Association.2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Supplement 1):S17-S38. doi:10.2337/dc22-S002Sheng Z, Cao JY, Pang YC, et al.Effects of lifestyle modification and anti-diabetic medicine on prediabetes progress: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:455. doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00455Shah R, Jindal A, Patel N.Acrochordons as a cutaneous sign of metabolic syndrome: a case-control study.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):202-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.129040
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Prevalence of Prediabetes Among Adults.
Bansal N.Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: A review.World J Diabetes. 2015 Mar 15;6(2):296-303. doi:10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.296
Gundamaraju R, Vemuri R.Pathophysiology of Greedy Colon and Diabetes: Role of Atropine in worsening of Diabetes.Euroasian J Hepatogastroenterol. 2014 Jan-Jun;4(1):51-54. doi:10.5005/jp-journals-10018-1096
Kirthi V, Nderitu P, Alam U,et al.Prevalence of retinopathy in prediabetes: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open2021;11:e040997. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040997
Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE.Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state: a historic review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.Diabetes Care. 2014 Nov;37(11):3124-31. doi:10.2337/dc14-0984
Papatheodorou K, Banach M, Bekiari E, Rizzo M, Edmonds M.Complications of Diabetes2017.J Diabetes Res. 2018 Mar 11;2018:3086167. doi:10.1155/2018/3086167
American Diabetes Association.2. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: Standards of medical care in diabetes—2022.Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Supplement 1):S17-S38. doi:10.2337/dc22-S002
Sheng Z, Cao JY, Pang YC, et al.Effects of lifestyle modification and anti-diabetic medicine on prediabetes progress: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2019;10:455. doi:10.3389/fendo.2019.00455
Shah R, Jindal A, Patel N.Acrochordons as a cutaneous sign of metabolic syndrome: a case-control study.Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):202-5. doi:10.4103/2141-9248.129040
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