104 blood sugar

Description: Diabetes affects more than one million adults in the United States. Most of these adults had prediabetes with a blood sugar level of 104 before their diabetes diagnosis. Learning more about prediabetes is important to help lower your risk of developing diabetes.

Blood sugar levels can vary a lot. When someone has a blood sugar level of 104 after fasting for 12 hours, this may indicate prediabetes or impaired fasting glucose. Under normal circumstances, fasting blood sugar levels range from 65 to 99 mg/dl. Once a doctor diagnoses prediabetes and/or 104 blood sugar, it is imperative to work on glucose control to reduce the risk of developing full-blown diabetes.

CAUSES OF PREDIABETES
The hormone insulin is produced by the pancreas. It works similar to a faucet that essentially allows glucose to enter your cells for the purpose of energy. When you have prediabetes, the cells in your body do not have a normal response to insulin. As a result, your pancreas continues to increase its workload to produce more and more insulin.

The pancreas cannot maintain such a high level of function for a long period of time. Eventually, it is unable to produce enough insulin. Combined with your cells not responding well to the insulin present, your blood sugar level rises. Once it reaches a certain level, prediabetes occurs.

Exactly what causes prediabetes is unknown. Genetics and family history seem to play a role in the process. There are also certain risk factors that can increase your risk. These include:

• Weight – If you are overweight, this can increase your risk. Having excess belly fat is especially risky because the more fat you have in this area, the more likely your cells are to become resistant to insulin.
• Diet – If you eat a lot of foods that are high in sugar and other unhealthy foods, you have a higher risk of prediabetes.
• Age: Prediabetes can affect people of all ages. However, most people who develop this condition are 45 years of age or older.
• Race: Experts don’t understand why, but Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders have higher rates of prediabetes.
• Waist size: People with a waist greater than 35 inches (women) or 40 inches (men) are at higher risk.
• Inactivity: Leading a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of prediabetes. When it is active, your cells have a higher sensitivity to insulin.
• Family history: If members of your family have been prediabetic, you are at higher risk for the condition.
• Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions increase your risk of prediabetes, including polycystic ovary syndrome, gestational diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea. People with these conditions tend to be more prone to insulin resistance, which can lead to prediabetes.

SYMPTOMS OF PREDIABETES
It is estimated that up to 90 percent of prediabetics are unaware they have the condition. Symptoms are not always obvious, especially in the early stages. However, most prediabetes symptoms are also the first signs of full-blown diabetes. Common symptoms include:

• Increased thirst
• Tired
• Frequent urination
• Blurry vision

Some people have patches of darkened skin in various areas of their body. These may look tan or brown. The body parts that are most commonly affected include the armpits, knees, neck, elbows, and knuckles.

The darkening of the skin is the result of too much insulin in the bloodstream. Excess insulin causes a faster rate of reproduction of normal skin cells. Since these new cells have more melanin, the skin becomes darker in the affected areas.

POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS
If prediabetes is not treated, you can develop type 2 diabetes. Some research shows that even if you don’t progress to full-blown diabetes, you’re still at risk for kidney damage and heart attacks if you have prediabetes.

GET A DIAGNOSIS
There are some noninvasive tests that doctors can do to make a diagnosis of prediabetes. An oral glucose tolerance test is commonly performed. You will need to fast for a minimum of eight hours and a blood sample will be taken. The doctor then makes you drink a sugary solution. Two hours after finishing the solution, another blood sample is taken. Prediabetes is diagnosed if your glucose levels are between 140 and 199 mg/dL.

The glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test is another option. This is a blood test that can provide an average of your blood sugar levels over the past 60 to 90 days. A doctor can diagnose prediabetes if the test reveals numbers between 5.7 and 6.4 percent.

Fasting blood sugar is also commonly done to look for prediabetes. You will need to fast for about eight hours and then have your blood drawn. If your blood sugar levels are between 100 and 125 mg/dL, your doctor will diagnose you with prediabetes.

TREATMENT OPTIONS
Treatment focuses primarily on making changes to your lifestyle to keep your blood glucose levels under control. Most doctors start by looking at your diet. The ideal is to eat foods rich in fiber and other important nutrients. Avoid those with added sugars and artificial ingredients.

The majority of your diet should consist of vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and fruits. When you eat carbohydrates, stick with complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates. This can keep your blood glucose level stable.

Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist to develop a healthy diet plan. They can assess your overall health, your level of prediabetes, and make appropriate diet recommendations.

Being more active is essential for the treatment of prediabetes. Ideally, you want moderate exercise most days of the week. Each session must be at least 30 minutes. The type of exercise doesn’t matter as long as it’s moderate. Your doctor can make recommendations based on your general health.

Losing five to ten percent of your excess weight can lower your risk of prediabetes progressing to type 2 diabetes. Eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly can help with your weight-loss efforts.

In some cases, people can benefit from medications. Metformin is a popular choice to help lower blood sugar levels.

PREVENTION OF PREDIABETES
Your lifestyle is one of the most important factors associated with prediabetes. The following methods can reduce the risk of this condition:

• Exercise most days of the week for at least 30 minutes.
• Eat a diverse and healthy diet
• Lose excess weight

These methods can also help prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes. Also, if you are already prediabetic, keeping your cholesterol and blood sugar levels under control is beneficial to lower your risk of progression. These methods may also make it less likely that you will experience complications from prediabetes.

If you have a fasting blood sugar level of 104, it’s important to see a doctor. This is especially important if you experience increased thirst, frequent urination, or other symptoms of this condition. Your doctor may test your fasting blood sugar and A1C levels to determine how effectively your body uses insulin. If you have prediabetes, changes in diet, exercise, and making sure you’re at a healthy weight can be used to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Since most prediabetics don’t know they have the condition, please share this article on social networks to educate the people you know.