Type 2 Diabetes: Overview and More

A person with diabetes checker

Diabetes is a very common kind of disease that we often encounter. In our homes, we see that our elderly family members often get diagnosed with diabetes. Though it is a common disease, it is indeed a very bad kind of disease to be diagnosed with.

Diabetes causes you several other side effects if you are concerned about it. It is not just a minor disease that prevents you from consuming sugar. Therefore, keeping each of us safe from diabetes should be a major concern. But today’s topic is not just about diabetes.

If you are not aware of the fact, then you must know that there is a type 2 diabetes. People in most cases know only about the regular and common diabetes. But, there is a type 2 as well. In this article, you will get to know everything about type 2 diabetes, overview, and more.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Before getting further deep into the article, let’s start with the basics. You should first know what exactly type 2 diabetes is. Type 2 diabetes occurs due to the high level of sugar or glucose in the bloodstream. When you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, your body regulates and uses the sugar in your bloodstream as a fuel.

Eventually, high blood sugar levels can lead to disorders of the circulatory, nervous and immune systems. The major problems with type 2 diabetes are that, in circumstances like this, your pancreas does not produce enough insulin.


Who Gets Type 2 Diabetes?

Now, the important concern that should be clear is who gets type 2 diabetes in general. The answer to that is unfortunately everyone. Everyone at any age can be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Many reports showed that even children were seen to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. But, researches also showed that people mostly in their middle age like 45 years old or older than that are likely to be more diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

There are many other reasons why one may be diagnosed with it. For example, family history of diabetes, overweight issues, someone with high blood pressure, women may get it if they had prediabetes or gestational diabetes during their pregnancy.

Type 1 vs. Type 2 Diabetes: What’s the Difference?

If you did not know about type 2 diabetes before, and had knowledge about one type of diabetes, then you might be curious to know what is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Well, the main difference between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes is that type 1 diabetes is a genetic disorder that often shows up in early life. If you have the diabetes genes in your hormones which came hereditarily towards you, then you might see the early symptoms of type 1 diabetes at an early age.

Whereas, type 2 diabetes is largely diet related, and it develops over time. People mostly in the middle age or people having obese issues or other complications in their body might more likely to get diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

What are the Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?

When you are reading about type 2 diabetes, then it is very necessary that you get to know about the symptoms. Or else, how would you understand whether you are a victim or not. So, the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are –

  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Increased hunger
  • Unintended weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Blurred Vision
  • Slow healing sores
  • Frequent infections

If you are having these symptoms on a regular basis, then consult with a diabetes expert immediately.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?

If you are wondering what causes type 2 diabetes, then there are a number of causes behind it. For example:

  • Genes
  • Extra weight
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Too much glucose from your liver
  • Bad communication between cells
  • Broken beta cells

How is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?

Now, the important factor to know about is how type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. Well there are a series of tests that can be followed to ensure whether you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or not. For example –

Fasting Blood Sugar Test

A fasting blood sugar test for checking diabetes is a common method that is used worldwide. In this process, the patient cannot eat anything for at least eight hours before going through the process.

After that, the doctor measures the amount of sugar in the blood of the patient after he/she has fasted for hours. If the blood sugar level is between 100 to 125 milligram per deciliter, then the patient might have the symptoms of prediabetes. If it is more than 125 milligram per deciliter then the patient is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Hemoglobin A1C Test

Hemoglobin A1C Test is a very accurate indicator for checking diabetes. The process includes checking your blood sugar level’s consistency over a two to three month period.

After comparing the test results, if it is found that the hemoglobin rate is below 6.5 percent, and more than 5.7 percent, then you have prediabetes. If the rate is 6.5 percent or more, then you have type 2 diabetes.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Oral glucose tolerance test is quite similar to fasting blood sugar test. In this process, the patient cannot eat for the whole night. The doctor takes blood samples in the morning to measure the sugar level. Then he/she can have a drink that contains 75 grams of glucose and tastes like a noncarbonated soda.

Two hours after taking the drink, another blood sample is taken to measure and compare the sugar level with the previous one. A level of 140 to 199 milligrams per deciliter after two hours means you have prediabetes. A level of 200 or more means you have type 2 diabetes.

Lipoprotein Panel and Kidney Function Tests can also tell you whether you have type 2 diabetes or not.

What are the Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes?

When there is a disease, there must be a cure to it. In many cases, it has been proved that home remedies work far better than medication. Best home remedies are, healthy eating, regular exercise, weight loss, etc. But, of course, in severe cases you must need medication.

In case of type 2 diabetes, Metformin is the first drug that is generally prescribed by doctors. Please consult with a doctor or a diabetes expert before consuming any kind of medication.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that no matter type 1 or type 2, diabetes is a very harmful disease which should be taken very seriously.

The symptoms, tests, medication, and treatment should be followed thoroughly and of course with the help of an expert.

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Sebastian Henry
When Sebastian graduated as a medical practitioner, he started writing about human health conditions. It took him four years to publish his first work, and since then, he has seen great success in writing. Furthermore, Henry receives contracts to educate people on various websites about health conditions. For example, he recently got a contract job at Fitness and Nutrition radio as a health writer. As a result, he has over 100 articles written about health conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, stress, depression, and cancer symptoms.

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