Borderline Diabetes:

Borderline Diabetes

Borderline Diabetes is also known as Prediabetes (See: Prediabetes). It is a condition that a person has before having type 2 diabetes. In this condition, the blood glucose levels are higher than the normal levels, but they are not high enough for the person to be categorized as a diabetic. It is a phase where the pancreas is still effective, but it is not as effective as in healthy people. People with this condition generally have higher fasting blood glucose levels due to a condition called insulin resistance. Higher fasting blood sugar levels are called impaired fasting glucose and this is caused due insulin resistance. Blood sugar levels increase as the cells of the body do not respond to the insulin released. Since insulin acts like a key for cells to absorb glucose and when the cells do not respond to the insulin, the glucose remains in the bloodstream increasing the blood glucose levels. This state is called insulin resistance of the cells. Insulin resistance develops in people in a gradual process. In this stage, since the cells of the body do not accept the insulin secreted in order to absorb glucose, the pancreas tends to compensate by producing extra insulin. People with increased fasting glucose levels at this stage have hepatic insulin resistance (See: Hepatic insulin Resistance). People with impaired glucose tolerance (See: Impaired Glucose Tolerance) tend to have muscle insulin resistance (See: Muscle Insulin Resistance). Later, the pancreas cannot compensate for the insulin resistance of the cells by producing more insulin. This leads to higher blood sugar levels and borderline diabetes. Prediabetes shows up with symptoms like dark patches on the skin, PCOS, blurry vision, increased thirst, and hunger. Prediabetes is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases. In most cases, prediabetes or borderline diabetes progresses to type 2 diabetes. However, with lifestyle modifications including dietary changes, increased physical activity, reduction of weight, and reduction of abdominal fat can stop the progression of borderline diabetes to type 2 diabetes.