More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes.
How common is type 2 diabetes in the UK?
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the UK, and its prevalence is increasing. In 2018–2019 there were 3,919,505 people diagnosed with diabetes. About 90% of adults currently diagnosed have type 2 diabetes.
Why is type 2 diabetes so common?
Type 2 Diabetes Causes and Risk Factors Although not everyone with is, obesity and an inactive lifestyle are two of the most common causes of, These things are responsible for about 90% to 95% of cases in the United States. When you’re healthy, your (an organ behind your ) releases insulin to help your body store and use from the food you eat.
- Your pancreas doesn’t make any insulin.
- Your makes very little insulin.
- Your body doesn’t respond the way it should to insulin
Unlike people with, people with make insulin. But the insulin their pancreas releases isn’t enough, or their body can’t recognize the insulin and use it properly. (Doctors call this insulin resistance.) When there isn’t enough insulin or the insulin isn’t used as it should be, glucose (sugar) can’t get into your cells.
- It builds up in your bloodstream instead.
- This can damage many areas of the body.
- Also, since cells aren’t getting the glucose they need, they don’t work the way they should.
- Is believed to have a strong genetic link, meaning that it tends to run in families.
- If you have a parent, brother, or sister who has it, your chances rise.
Several genes may be related to type 2 diabetes. Ask your doctor about a diabetes test if you have any of the following risk factors:
- High blood (fat) levels. It’s too high if it’s over 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
- Low “good” level. It’s too low if it’s less than 40 mg/dL.
- or to a weighing more than 9 pounds
- . That means your level is above normal, but you don’t have the disease yet.
- High- and diet. This can sometimes be the result of food insecurity, when you don’t have access to enough healthy food.
- High intake
- Sedentary lifestyle
- or being overweight
- (PCOS)
- Being of an ethnicity that’s at higher risk: African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans are more likely to get type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
- You’re over 45 years of age. Older age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly around age 45 and rises considerably after age 65.
- You’ve had an, After an organ transplant, you need to take for the rest of your life so your body doesn’t reject the donor organ. These drugs help organ transplants succeed, but many of them, such as (Astagraf, ) or, can cause diabetes or make it worse.
A proper and healthy lifestyle habits, along with medication, if you need it, can help you manage type 2 diabetes the same way you manage other areas of your life. Be sure to seek the latest information on this condition as you become your own health advocate.
To understand why insulin is important, it helps to know more about how your body uses food for energy. Your body is made up of millions of cells. To make energy, these cells need food in a very simple form. When you eat or drink, much of the food is broken down into a simple sugar called glucose. It moves through your bloodstream to these cells, where it provides the energy your body needs for daily activities.
Insulin and other hormones control the amount of glucose in your bloodstream. Your pancreas is always releasing small amounts of insulin. When the amount of glucose in your rises to a certain level, the pancreas will release more insulin to push more glucose into the cells.
- This causes the glucose levels in the blood (blood glucose levels) to drop.
- To keep blood glucose levels from getting too low (, or ), your body signals you to eat and releases some glucose from the stores kept in the,
- It also tells the body to release less insulin.
- People with diabetes either don’t make insulin or their body’s cells can no longer use their insulin.
This leads to high blood sugars. By definition, diabetes is:
- A blood glucose level of greater than or equal to 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood after an 8-hour fast (not eating anything)
- A non- glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL, along with
- A glucose level greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL on a 2-hour glucose tolerance test
A1c greater than or equal to 6.5%. Unless the person is having obvious symptoms of diabetes or is in a, the diagnosis must be confirmed with a repeat test.
- SOURCES:
- American Diabetes Association: “Insulin and Low Blood Glucose.”
- American Diabetes Association: “Stomach Fat and Insulin Resistance.”
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: “Your Guide to Diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2.”
- Diabetologia : “The threshold for diagnosing impaired fasting glucose: a position statement by the European Diabetes Epidemiology Group.”
- Journal of the American College of Cardiology : “Comparison of the 1997 and 2003 American Diabetes Association Classification of Impaired Fasting Glucose: Impact on Prevalence of Impaired Fasting Glucose, Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors, and Coronary Heart Disease in a Community-Based Medical Practice.”
- American Diabetes Association (ADA): “Type 2 Diabetes,” “Diabetes Risk Test.”
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: “Framingham Heart Study.”
Diabetes Care : “Obesity, inactivity, and the prevalence of diabetes and diabetes-related cardiovascular comorbidities in the U.S., 2000-2002.”
- The New England Journal of Medicine : “A Toggle for Type 2 Diabetes?”
- Lancet : “Type 2 diabetes: principles of pathogenesis and therapy.”
- Circulation : “Trends in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus From the 1970s to the 1990s: The Framingham Heart Study.”
- CDC: “About Chronic Disease.”
- Feeding America: “Child Nutrition Programs.”
- Food Research and Action Center: “Hunger & Health: The Impact of Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Poor Nutrition on Health and Well-Being.”
- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: “Food Insecurity.”
U.S. Department of Agriculture: “Food Security in the U.S.: Measurement,” “Definitions of Food Insecurity.”
- National Kidney Foundation website.
- United Network for Organ Sharing website.
- United Network for Organ Sharing’s “Transplant Living” website.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: “Partnering with Your Transplant Team: The Patient’s Guide to Transplantation, 2004.” Bihl, G. Dialysis and Transplantation, 2004. Carithers, R. Liver and Pancreas Transplantation, ACP Medicine, November 2003.
Are there more people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes, is a disease that causes high blood sugar. It occurs when there is a problem with insulin. Insulin is a hormone that takes sugar from foods and moves it to the body’s cells. If the body does not make enough insulin or does not use insulin well, the sugar from food stays in the blood, resulting in high blood sugar.
Diabetes is a key health concern worldwide. In the United States, the rate of new cases rose sharply from the 1990s, but it fell between 2008 and 2015, and it continues to fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Diabetes Report, 2017. Meanwhile, the number of adults living with diabetes continues to rise.
The most common of diabetes is type 2. According to the CDC, 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes in the United States have type 2. Just 5 percent of people have type 1.
Is type 2 diabetes very common?
Healthy eating is your recipe for managing diabetes. More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it.
Can you live well with type 2 diabetes?
Life expectancy can be increased by 3 years or in some cases as much as 10 years. At age 50, life expectancy- the number of years a person is expected to live- is 6 years shorter for people with type 2 diabetes than for people without it. People with type 2 diabetes can reduce their risk of complications and live longer by achieving their treatment goals.
Why is type 2 diabetes increasing?
Background – With 382 million people living with diabetes in 2013, the World Health Organization declared the condition as being epidemic, It is estimated that diabetes will affect 3.7 million Canadians in 2018, making it the principal health challenge of the country,
- Diabetes is associated with many health complications.
- Comparing the population with and without diabetes, those with diabetes have a 300% increased risk of being hospitalized,
- Annual per capita healthcare costs for people with diabetes are three to four times greater than for individuals without diabetes,
New Brunswick is one of the provinces in Canada where the prevalence of diabetes is the highest, The prevalence of diabetes is estimated to have increased by 86% in this province between 2000 and 2010, A population-level increase in prevalence of diabetes may be attributable to a wide range of potential factors,
Obesity is often seen as the main contributor to an increasing prevalence of diabetes but other factors such as ageing, ethnicity, lifestyle (i.e., physical inactivity and energy dense diet), socioeconomic status, education, and urbanization have also been identified as potentially important factors,
Further findings also suggest that increasing incidence rates of diabetes and global changes are other potential explanatory factors (e.g. environmental pollution, obesogenic environment and rapid socioeconomic development) that could affect the entire population,
In addition to changes in the prevalence of risk factors, other elements, including increases in screening, changes in diagnostic criteria, and decreasing mortality rates among individuals with diabetes could contribute to the rise in prevalence of this condition. Perhaps due to the wide variety of factors potentially responsible for an increase in prevalence of diabetes, no studies have attempted to present a comprehensive list of factors which could be responsible for population-level changes in prevalence of diabetes.
A comprehensive list of factors that contribute to the growing prevalence of diabetes would provide a foundation for population health planning in developing successful strategies to address this epidemic of diabetes. As such, the objectives of this study were (1) to develop a comprehensive list of factors to consider when trying to identify causes of change in prevalence of diabetes in a population and (2) to use this list to describe factors that may be responsible for the recent increase in prevalence of type 2 diabetes in New Brunswick.
What percentage of type 2 diabetics take insulin?
Unlike type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin for treatment, insulin may or may not be a part of your treatment plan with type 2 diabetes. Starting a new medication, especially one like insulin that requires injections, may seem scary at first. Having the right information can help ease anxiety.
- Here are 12 myths, along with the facts, about insulin and type 2 diabetes —so you can be informed about insulin as a treatment option for type 2 diabetes.
- This is a semi-myth.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with type 1 diabetes (about 5% to 10% of those with diabetes) do need insulin.
If you have type 2, which includes 90% to 95% of all people with diabetes, you may not need insulin. Of adults with diabetes, only 14% use insulin, 13% use insulin plus oral medication, 57% take oral medication only, and 16% control blood sugar with diet and exercise alone, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
- The point of insulin is to get blood sugar, which can be harmful in the body in the wrong amounts, to a safe level.
- This is a big myth,” Jill Crandall, MD, professor of clinical medicine and director of the diabetes clinical trial unit at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, N.Y.
said. “Many people who try very hard to adhere to a diet, exercise, and lose weight will still need insulin,” Dr. Crandall said. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive illness, meaning that over time you may need to change what you do to ensure your blood sugar is in a healthy range.
Eating a healthy diet and exercise will always be important, but medication needs can vary. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that it can become harder to reach your diabetes treatment targets even though your medication, exercise routine, diet, or other things haven’t changed—and that’s normal.
“A large percentage of people with type 2 diabetes will ultimately need insulin, and we don’t see it as a failure,” said Dr. Crandall. One of the myths about insulin is that the injections are painful. “This is absolutely false,” said Dr. Crandall. “With the small fine needles we have today, insulin injections are close to painless, if not painless.” In fact, many people would say that the finger pricks used to measure blood glucose levels hurt more than insulin injections.
When people get their first injection, they often say, ‘I can’t believe it didn’t hurt,'” said Dr. Crandall. What’s more, you may not need to use syringes at all. There are injector pens on the market that allow you to dial the dose of insulin, snap on a tiny needle, and inject painlessly. This one is possible.
However, per the ADA, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) typically only happens if you use insulin or other medications that can lower blood sugar to treat your type 2 diabetes. An international study published in 2016 in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, & Metabolism examined rates and predictors of hypoglycemia in those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
- Patients needed to take insulin to control their diabetes to be included in the study.
- In a four week period, 83% of patients with type 1 diabetes and 46.5% of patients with type 2 diabetes experienced a hypoglycemic event (low blood sugar).
- If you do take insulin to manage your diabetes, it is important to note that each person’s reaction to low blood sugar may be different, according to the ADA,
However, many people with type 2 diabetes can recognize their symptoms. The ADA lists many possible symptoms of low blood sugar, such as anxiety, shaky hands, sweating, and an urge to eat. A prolonged episode of low blood sugar could cause unconsciousness.
- According to the ADA, the 15-15 rule, often used to treat low blood sugar (a blood sugar below 70 mg/dL), involves consuming 15 grams of carbohydrates—such as hard candy, diluted juice, or glucose tablets—and then checking your blood sugar again after 15 minutes.
- If your blood sugar is still low, continue the process until it is 70 mg/dL or above—and then follow this process with a meal or snack to help your blood sugar stay up.
There may be different amounts of carbs to take if the person experiencing low blood sugar is a child or if the blood sugar is so low that the patient is unable to safely consume food. Good communication with a diabetes treatment team is essential to understand individual approaches.
- Additionally, if someone is unconscious or unable to treat themselves, it is important to recognize this is a medical emergency and call 911.
- This is a partial myth.
- Some people with type 2 diabetes may need insulin temporarily, such as right after they’re diagnosed or during pregnancy, whereas others may need to stay on it indefinitely, according to Joslin Diabetes Center,
People who lose a lot of weight may find that they no longer need insulin. While others who lose weight may still need it. Johns Hopkins Medicine explained weight loss and exercise can both contribute to improved blood sugar control. It largely depends on how much damage diabetes has done to the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
- It is not always a one-way street,” said Dr. Crandall.
- If you’re wondering about your insulin requirements, check in with a healthcare provider.
- Gone are the days when insulin injections were bulky, conspicuous, and difficult to administer.
- Today, insulin comes in pen injectors that are easy to carry with you, don’t require refrigeration, and can be used discreetly, often just once a day,” said Dr.
Crandall. “There are a large variety of insulin and insulin regimens that are much more convenient than they used to be,” said Dr. Crandall. Oral diabetes medications can be a good solution for lowering blood glucose levels. One medication often used to treat type 2 diabetes, metformin, is considered safe, with rare side effects uncommon, per Harvard Health Publishing,
- Still, oral medications don’t work for everyone.
- For some people, insulin is the easiest and best because it always works, but some people respond to pills, and others don’t,” said Dr. Crandall.
- Not all oral medications have a tried-and-true safety record.
- For example.
- Avandia was restricted by the FDA because of research suggesting that it increased the risk of heart attack.
This is another partial myth. Some people with type 2 diabetes may gain weight after starting insulin therapy. The reason for the weight gain is that when treatment with insulin is working, the body begins to process blood glucose appropriately. This can result in weight gain and is one reason unexplained weight loss can be an early symptom of diabetes.
- In addition, a 2017 study in the journal Diabetes Care saw a link between weight gain and increased inactive behavior in people after starting insulin therapy.
- The good news is that weight gain tends to level out as insulin therapy continues, and the weight gain may be short-term, said Dr. Crandall.
- This is a myth.
People with type 2 diabetes may actually produce higher-than-normal levels of insulin earlier in the course of having diabetes, a condition known as hyperinsulinemia, according to the ADA, This happens because type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, a condition in which the body loses the ability to respond normally to the hormone, per the CDC,
Taking insulin can help overcome insulin resistance and take the place of naturally occurring insulin production, which does tend to decrease over time. The truth is diabetes is a serious condition, but it is treateable and maneagable. High blood sugar is unhealthy for your body and can cause damage to very small blood vessels.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, the sugar “sticks” to your small blood vessels, which makes it hard for blood to get to your organs. This can result in damage to the heart, kidney, eyes, nerves, and feet. And it’s why blood sugar control—whether through diet, exercise, medications such as oral medications or insulin, or a combination of these methods—is so important.
Not always. If you need insulin, you have options, according to the CDC, You can try a long-acting once-a-day insulin (usually given at night), which mimics the low level of insulin normally found in the body all day long. This may be enough to control blood sugar on its own, or it can be combined with oral medications.
If blood sugar is still too high after meals, however, you may need to take insulin several times a day, just before eating, per the ADA, If insulin is part of your diabetes treatment plan, a healthcare provider can help you determine the type and amount.
- Although some people exhaust all possible diabetes treatments before using to insulin, this may not be the best strategy.
- By the time a person with type 2 starts insulin therapy, they likely already have diabetes-related complications because of poor blood sugar control,” said Dr. Crandall.
- Poor blood sugar control can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine,
So, it’s important to work with a healthcare provider to establish a treatment plan that works for your particular health needs. In fact, starting insulin sooner may avoid complications, help oral medications work better (and be effective longer), or allow you to use a less-complicated insulin regimen for a longer period of time.
Can you trigger type 2 diabetes?
Overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity – You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are not physically active and are overweight or have obesity, Extra weight sometimes causes insulin resistance and is common in people with type 2 diabetes.
What country has the highest rate of type 2 diabetes?
– Latest data shows the top five countries with the highest general population are approximately:
China — over 1 billion India — over 1 billionU.S. — 338 millionIndonesia — 275 million Pakistan — 235 million
The IDF Global Diabetes Atlas provides estimated and projected prevalence rates of diabetes around the world. Its most recent data from 2021 shows that China has the largest number of adults with diabetes, aged 20–79 years, followed by India and Pakistan.
- Furthermore, the IDF anticipates that these countries will continue to have the largest number of people with diabetes in 2045.
- China currently has 140.9 million people with diabetes, which is set to increase to 174.4 million by 2045.
- Experts estimate there are also 72.8 million people in China with undiagnosed diabetes.
However, the countries with the largest number of people with diabetes mentioned above do not automatically have the highest prevalence of the condition. The highest comparative prevalence rates in 2021 were reported for Pakistan (30.8%), French Polynesia (25.2%), and Kuwait (24.9%).
What percent of the world population has type 1 diabetes?
Results: From 1202 located articles, 193 studies were included in this systematic review. The results of meta-analysis showed that the incidence of type 1 diabetes was 15 per 100,000 people and the prevalence was 9.5% (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.12) in the world, which was statistically significant.
What percentage of Type 2 diabetics take insulin?
Unlike type 1 diabetes, which requires insulin for treatment, insulin may or may not be a part of your treatment plan with type 2 diabetes. Starting a new medication, especially one like insulin that requires injections, may seem scary at first. Having the right information can help ease anxiety.
- Here are 12 myths, along with the facts, about insulin and type 2 diabetes —so you can be informed about insulin as a treatment option for type 2 diabetes.
- This is a semi-myth.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with type 1 diabetes (about 5% to 10% of those with diabetes) do need insulin.
If you have type 2, which includes 90% to 95% of all people with diabetes, you may not need insulin. Of adults with diabetes, only 14% use insulin, 13% use insulin plus oral medication, 57% take oral medication only, and 16% control blood sugar with diet and exercise alone, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
The point of insulin is to get blood sugar, which can be harmful in the body in the wrong amounts, to a safe level. “This is a big myth,” Jill Crandall, MD, professor of clinical medicine and director of the diabetes clinical trial unit at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, N.Y.
said. “Many people who try very hard to adhere to a diet, exercise, and lose weight will still need insulin,” Dr. Crandall said. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive illness, meaning that over time you may need to change what you do to ensure your blood sugar is in a healthy range.
Eating a healthy diet and exercise will always be important, but medication needs can vary. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that it can become harder to reach your diabetes treatment targets even though your medication, exercise routine, diet, or other things haven’t changed—and that’s normal.
“A large percentage of people with type 2 diabetes will ultimately need insulin, and we don’t see it as a failure,” said Dr. Crandall. One of the myths about insulin is that the injections are painful. “This is absolutely false,” said Dr. Crandall. “With the small fine needles we have today, insulin injections are close to painless, if not painless.” In fact, many people would say that the finger pricks used to measure blood glucose levels hurt more than insulin injections.
- When people get their first injection, they often say, ‘I can’t believe it didn’t hurt,'” said Dr. Crandall.
- What’s more, you may not need to use syringes at all.
- There are injector pens on the market that allow you to dial the dose of insulin, snap on a tiny needle, and inject painlessly.
- This one is possible.
However, per the ADA, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) typically only happens if you use insulin or other medications that can lower blood sugar to treat your type 2 diabetes. An international study published in 2016 in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, & Metabolism examined rates and predictors of hypoglycemia in those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
- Patients needed to take insulin to control their diabetes to be included in the study.
- In a four week period, 83% of patients with type 1 diabetes and 46.5% of patients with type 2 diabetes experienced a hypoglycemic event (low blood sugar).
- If you do take insulin to manage your diabetes, it is important to note that each person’s reaction to low blood sugar may be different, according to the ADA,
However, many people with type 2 diabetes can recognize their symptoms. The ADA lists many possible symptoms of low blood sugar, such as anxiety, shaky hands, sweating, and an urge to eat. A prolonged episode of low blood sugar could cause unconsciousness.
- According to the ADA, the 15-15 rule, often used to treat low blood sugar (a blood sugar below 70 mg/dL), involves consuming 15 grams of carbohydrates—such as hard candy, diluted juice, or glucose tablets—and then checking your blood sugar again after 15 minutes.
- If your blood sugar is still low, continue the process until it is 70 mg/dL or above—and then follow this process with a meal or snack to help your blood sugar stay up.
There may be different amounts of carbs to take if the person experiencing low blood sugar is a child or if the blood sugar is so low that the patient is unable to safely consume food. Good communication with a diabetes treatment team is essential to understand individual approaches.
- Additionally, if someone is unconscious or unable to treat themselves, it is important to recognize this is a medical emergency and call 911.
- This is a partial myth.
- Some people with type 2 diabetes may need insulin temporarily, such as right after they’re diagnosed or during pregnancy, whereas others may need to stay on it indefinitely, according to Joslin Diabetes Center,
People who lose a lot of weight may find that they no longer need insulin. While others who lose weight may still need it. Johns Hopkins Medicine explained weight loss and exercise can both contribute to improved blood sugar control. It largely depends on how much damage diabetes has done to the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas.
It is not always a one-way street,” said Dr. Crandall. If you’re wondering about your insulin requirements, check in with a healthcare provider. Gone are the days when insulin injections were bulky, conspicuous, and difficult to administer. “Today, insulin comes in pen injectors that are easy to carry with you, don’t require refrigeration, and can be used discreetly, often just once a day,” said Dr.
Crandall. “There are a large variety of insulin and insulin regimens that are much more convenient than they used to be,” said Dr. Crandall. Oral diabetes medications can be a good solution for lowering blood glucose levels. One medication often used to treat type 2 diabetes, metformin, is considered safe, with rare side effects uncommon, per Harvard Health Publishing,
- Still, oral medications don’t work for everyone.
- For some people, insulin is the easiest and best because it always works, but some people respond to pills, and others don’t,” said Dr. Crandall.
- Not all oral medications have a tried-and-true safety record.
- For example.
- Avandia was restricted by the FDA because of research suggesting that it increased the risk of heart attack.
This is another partial myth. Some people with type 2 diabetes may gain weight after starting insulin therapy. The reason for the weight gain is that when treatment with insulin is working, the body begins to process blood glucose appropriately. This can result in weight gain and is one reason unexplained weight loss can be an early symptom of diabetes.
In addition, a 2017 study in the journal Diabetes Care saw a link between weight gain and increased inactive behavior in people after starting insulin therapy. The good news is that weight gain tends to level out as insulin therapy continues, and the weight gain may be short-term, said Dr. Crandall. This is a myth.
People with type 2 diabetes may actually produce higher-than-normal levels of insulin earlier in the course of having diabetes, a condition known as hyperinsulinemia, according to the ADA, This happens because type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, a condition in which the body loses the ability to respond normally to the hormone, per the CDC,
- Taking insulin can help overcome insulin resistance and take the place of naturally occurring insulin production, which does tend to decrease over time.
- The truth is diabetes is a serious condition, but it is treateable and maneagable.
- High blood sugar is unhealthy for your body and can cause damage to very small blood vessels.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, the sugar “sticks” to your small blood vessels, which makes it hard for blood to get to your organs. This can result in damage to the heart, kidney, eyes, nerves, and feet. And it’s why blood sugar control—whether through diet, exercise, medications such as oral medications or insulin, or a combination of these methods—is so important.
Not always. If you need insulin, you have options, according to the CDC, You can try a long-acting once-a-day insulin (usually given at night), which mimics the low level of insulin normally found in the body all day long. This may be enough to control blood sugar on its own, or it can be combined with oral medications.
If blood sugar is still too high after meals, however, you may need to take insulin several times a day, just before eating, per the ADA, If insulin is part of your diabetes treatment plan, a healthcare provider can help you determine the type and amount.
Although some people exhaust all possible diabetes treatments before using to insulin, this may not be the best strategy. “By the time a person with type 2 starts insulin therapy, they likely already have diabetes-related complications because of poor blood sugar control,” said Dr. Crandall. Poor blood sugar control can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine,
So, it’s important to work with a healthcare provider to establish a treatment plan that works for your particular health needs. In fact, starting insulin sooner may avoid complications, help oral medications work better (and be effective longer), or allow you to use a less-complicated insulin regimen for a longer period of time.