Get Help With Your Diabetes or Prediabetes and High Cholesterol Symptoms

How Are They Related?

Diabetes, prediabetes and high cholesterol are closely intertwined. High cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing your risk for heart disease. Meanwhile, having diabetes can increase your risk of developing high cholesterol. Diabetes damages your arterial lining, making it more likely that bad cholesterol (LDL) will stick to that lining and build up. Those with diabetes often have higher levels of LDL and lower levels of HDL (good cholesterol) which also increases the risk of heart disease. Fortunately, even if you have diabetes, there are ways to lower your cholesterol. Treating and managing both diabetes and high cholesterol is important to reduce the risk of more serious health problems down the line.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition that occurs when you have too much glucose in your bloodstream. Glucose is a type of sugar that provides your body with energy, and a hormone called insulin delivers it from your bloodstream to your body’s cells. But, when your body doesn’t make enough insulin or if it’s resistant to insulin, glucose can’t be properly processed. This leads to elevated blood glucose levels, which can lead to more serious health issues.

Common Signs & Symptoms

Early detection of prediabetes and diabetes is essential for early intervention and management - and prevention of downstream health issues. Some of the most common signs and symptoms of uncontrolled diabetes include:

• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Consistent fatigue
• Slow-healing wounds or frequent infections
• Blurred vision
• Darkened areas of skin
• More frequent urination, especially at night

It’s important to note that people can have diabetes and have no symptoms at all. Prediabetes doesn’t typically have any noticeable symptoms either. That’s why it’s important to have regular checkups with your primary care provider, especially if you’re genetically predisposed or have risk factors that can lead to the development of diabetes.

What Are the Causes of Diabetes?

There are several root contributors to someone developing diabetes encompassing a combination of environmental and genetic factors. For all types of diabetes, the main issue is the buildup of sugar in the bloodstream. Next, let’s take a look at the different types of diabetes.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 vs. Type 1.5

The three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA) or Type 1.5 diabetes. Let’s take a look at the differences among them:

Type 1 Diabetes - Type 1 diabetes typically begins in childhood or adolescence and results in the body’s inability to produce insulin. The reason why a child would develop this condition is not known, but it is felt to be an auto-immune process where the body mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas so they stop working. Type 1 diabetes often comes on quickly and typically requires urgent care.

Type 2 Diabetes - Type 2 diabetes is more common and happens when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it becomes resistant to insulin. Type 2 is more closely associated with lifestyle and diet and typically develops over time. Patients who are overweight or obese are at especially high risk for developing this type of diabetes.

Type 1.5 Diabetes - Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), typically develops slowly in adulthood and displays blood sugar and insulin abnormalities in between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. LADA occurs when the pancreas gradually stops producing insulin. This can be triggered by a viral infection or an autoimmune process that damages pancreas cells. Patients with LADA are not necessarily overweight and often require insulin to manage their blood sugar elevations.

What is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes comes before Type 2 diabetes and can progress to Type 2 if left untreated. Every person who develops Type 2 diabetes will have gone through the prediabetes stage. Which is why a diagnosis of prediabetes should not be ignored. In fact, it should be acted on right away to prevent that progression to Type 2. Prediabetes is characterized by the body becoming more resistant to insulin leading to more and more elevated blood sugar levels over time. However, these levels are not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Catching prediabetes early is crucial because it can be reversed through lifestyle changes and medication, if necessary.

Risk Factors & Complications

Certain risk factors can increase your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. These risk factors include:

• Being overweight
• A sedentary or inactive lifestyle
• Poor diet
• A history of diabetes in your family
• Being of South Asian, Black African or Caribbean descent

Diabetes (whether type 1, type 2 or type 1.5) can lead to several complications such as kidney disease, vision problems, foot problems, nerve damage and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Prediabetes can also increase your risk of developing these same health issues, though not to the same degree. Given that high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking can all increase the risk of heart disease in their own right, diabetics and pre diabetics should be screened for these conditions as well and have them addressed if present.

Testing & Diagnosis

Diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes involves specific blood tests, with the A1C test being the most common. This test can give your doctor a sense of your average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months. If you’re diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, your provider can put a treatment plan in place to mitigate or reverse the condition.

What is High Cholesterol?

High cholesterol is said to be present when someone has too much cholesterol circulating in their bloodstream. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that serves several useful purposes but can cause negative health effects if there is too much of it around. High cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Common Signs & Symptoms

One thing that makes high cholesterol so dangerous is that it’s almost always asymptomatic. Many people don’t find out they have high cholesterol until they see their doctor and have a blood test. So, it’s important to see your primary care provider regularly to monitor cholesterol levels.

What Are the Causes?

There are various lifestyle choices that can lead to high cholesterol. These include:

Tobacco use - Tobacco use can increase LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol.

Diet - Certain foods can raise cholesterol levels, especially foods with saturated fats and added sugars. Avoiding or limiting red meats, baked goods and fried foods is recommended.

Excessive alcohol consumption - It’s recommended to limit your alcohol intake to lower cholesterol levels.

Sedentary lifestyle - Not getting enough exercise can contribute to high cholesterol.

Good Cholesterol (HDL) vs. Bad Cholesterol (LDL)

There are two types of cholesterol to know – HDL and LDL.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is considered the “good” cholesterol. It helps move cholesterol through the blood and out by the body.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is considered the “bad” cholesterol. LDL cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries, which increases your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Risk Factors & Complications

Certain risk factors can increase your likelihood of having high cholesterol. In addition to lifestyle choices, factors like underlying health conditions, certain medications, genetic propensity, being over the age of 40 and being overweight or obese can all contribute.

Testing & Diagnosis

Blood tests are used to measure cholesterol. These tests can show the levels of HDL, LDL and triglycerides in the blood. You can be diagnosed with high cholesterol if your LDL or total cholesterol levels are too high.

When To See a Doctor

You should see a doctor about diabetes if you experience any of the symptoms we touched on earlier, such as frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, consistent fatigue, etc.

Also, it’s a good idea to have a regular checkup with your doctor to check for diabetes if you fall into the risk categories for developing it. The same can be said for high cholesterol. Prediabetes, diabetes and high cholesterol are often asymptomatic, but you can detect them early with regular diagnostic tests.

Early detection is best for prevention and treatment, so make sure to speak to your health care provider about how often you should be checked for either of these conditions.

Treatment & Common Medications

Treatment for diabetes, prediabetes or high cholesterol often involves a combination approach of lifestyle changes and medications.

Medications for diabetes may include ones that help control blood sugar levels by coaxing more insulin out of the pancreas, making our bodies more sensitive to the insulin floating around or helping flush extra sugar out through the urine. Some people with diabetes may also need to take insulin - as the primary measure (because they have type 1 diabetes) or when their type 2 or type 1.5 diabetes becomes too hard to control with other drugs. Medications for high cholesterol commonly include statins. Other medications that may be prescribed for high cholesterol include ezetimibe,, bempedoic acid, bile-acid-binding resins and PCSK9 inhibitors.

Lifestyle changes for diabetes, prediabetes and high cholesterol tend to be very similar. Dietary changes, increased activity levels, cutting out smoking, limiting alcohol and losing weight if necessary are often recommended as part of a holistic treatment strategy.

Treatment will depend on the individual and a primary care provider can tailor your treatment plan based on your needs.

Healthy Diet & Lifestyle Tips To Follow

One of the top recommendations for diabetes, prediabetes and high cholesterol is adopting a heart-healthy diet. These diets focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and other heart-healthy foods.

Along with adding certain foods to your diet, a heart-healthy diet also means avoiding certain foods like processed foods, sugary snacks and beverages and foods high in saturated fats. Those with diabetes and prediabetes may specifically need to restrict certain foods to regulate blood sugar levels.

Exercise can also contribute to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Aerobic exercise such as walking, swimming or cycling is good for heart health and weight management. If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight can also be an essential part of a diabetes, prediabetes or high cholesterol treatment plan.

Finally, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption are recommended if you have prediabetes, diabetes or high cholesterol.