Do you think diabetes or when you become pre-diabetic, it would have symptoms to show?
Diabetes is defined as fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dL or higher, or a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of 6.5 percent or higher.
While prediabetes is marked by fasting blood glucose levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL and HbA1c levels between 5.7 percent and 6.4 percent.
Speaking on the Korean Diabetes Association YouTube channel The Essentials of Diabetes, Cho Young-min, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at Seoul National University Hospital, stated, “There are no specific warning signs,” adding, “That is why regular health checkups and blood sugar monitoring are important.”
While diabetes and prediabetes often progress without noticeable symptoms, advanced diabetes can trigger clear physical warning signs.
The most well-known are the so-called “three Ps” of diabetes: polyuria (frequent urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), and polyphagia (excessive hunger). Unintentional weight loss can also occur.
“Excessive thirst, frequent urination, and persistent hunger leading to increased food intake are the most common symptoms,” Cho said.
He continued, “Weight loss may also appear, particularly when body weight decreases despite adequate food intake.”
When such symptoms emerge, blood glucose levels are typically already very high, Cho noted. “If these signs are present, diabetes may already be at an advanced stage,” the expert further added.
For early diagnosis, Cho emphasized the importance of routine blood testing, including fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin measurements, before symptoms develop.
As interest in so-called “blood sugar spikes” has grown, many people associate post-meal drowsiness with high blood glucose levels. However, Cho busted the myth with his statement:
“The more severe the diabetes, the higher post-meal blood sugar levels tend to rise. If post-meal drowsiness were a reliable indicator, patients with severe diabetes would feel sleepy after every meal, but that is not what we see in clinical practice,” he explained.
Diabetes is capable of damaging the entire body by affecting both large and small blood vessels, making early diagnosis and its lifelong management essential. For this reason, Cho stressed the need for regular screening, particularly before symptoms appear.
“Adults with a family history of diabetes, those with obesity, and women who have experienced gestational diabetes are considered high-risk groups,” he said before concluding and stressing that blood glucose monitoring is especially important for these groups.