Discover More About Diabetes

- Quiz

Being overweight can predispose you to type 2 diabetes, so having excess weight may make you more likely to have the condition. Conversely, unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of type 1 diabetes. This is because the body is unable to metabolise sugar and may start breaking down fat.

Increased thirst is a symptom of both types of diabetes and is caused by your body’s inability to process the sugar in your blood. Instead, your body takes fluid from your body to try to dilute the sugar, causing thirst.

More frequent peeing is a symptom of diabetes, but not everyone experiences the same symptoms. In addition, this symptom can come on gradually, meaning you might not notice the increase.

Diabetes can cause problems with vision; however, early stage diabetic retinopathy may be asymptomatic. If you are experiencing other symptoms of diabetes, it’s important to speak to your GP. If you get a sudden increase in 'floaters', you should seek urgent medical help as there are other possible causes that could threaten your eyesight if untreated.

As well as affecting the vessels in the eyes, high levels of glucose in the bloodstream can lead to an inflammatory response. As this frequently occurs in the smaller vessels, it can cause diabetic neuropathy – tingling in the hands and feet. This inflammatory response may also lead to cardiovascular disease, so if you have any concerns make sure you get checked out. However, as with many symptoms, there can be other causes of tingling in the extremities, including poor circulation, vitamin or mineral deficiency and panic attacks.

Slow circulation in diabetes can mean that your body isn’t delivering sufficient oxygen to your cells, making you feel more tired. Tiredness can also occur due to inflammation may cause monocytes – large white blood cells - to enter the brain. However, feeling tired can be a symptom of many conditions, including having an underactive thyroid, depression and poor sleep.