Stages of Diabetes: How Type 2 Progresses – Verywell Health

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition in which blood sugar issues show up gradually. First signs begin with slightly elevated blood sugar (glucose) levels—out of normal range but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. This is called insulin resistance and is the first of four stages of type 2 diabetes.

This article will explain what you can expect at each stage and how to manage the condition as it progresses.

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Stages of Type 2 Diabetes

Stage 1: Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance is the first sign of blood sugar issues, often occurring years before a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. The food you eat becomes sugar (or glucose) in your body as it enters your blood. The pancreas releases insulin to remove the sugar from your blood and enter your cells for your body to use for energy. When your body is resistant to insulin or doesn’t properly respond to insulin, your blood sugar begins to rise.

As a result, your body signals the liver and muscles to store blood sugar. When the liver can’t hold anymore, it sends the extra sugar to fat cells, which get stored as body fat.

While this first stage can go unnoticed, many changes in the body can create serious health issues in the future.  

Type A Insulin Resistance

Type A insulin resistance is a rare disorder where the body’s tissues don’t respond to insulin. It’s caused by a mutation in a gene that helps cells take in insulin.

Stage 2: Prediabetes

You have prediabetes when your blood glucose is outside the normal range but not high enough to be considered diabetes. While reversible through lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, prediabetes increases your chances of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Similar to insulin resistance, you may not see any signs of prediabetes until a blood test reveals glucose …….

Source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/stages-of-type-2-diabetes-6503545