Diabetes
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition where your body struggles to manage blood sugar levels properly. When you eat, your body breaks down food into glucose, a type of sugar that gives your cells energy. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that helps glucose move from your bloodstream into your cells.
In Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas stops making insulin because your immune system attacks the cells that produce it. In Type 2 diabetes, your body still makes insulin but your cells stop responding to it effectively. This is called insulin resistance. Over time, your pancreas may also make less insulin.
When glucose stays in your blood instead of entering your cells, blood sugar levels rise. High blood sugar over months and years can damage your blood vessels, nerves, kidneys, eyes, and heart. Managing diabetes means keeping your blood sugar in a healthy range through diet, exercise, medication, or insulin therapy.
Symptoms
- Feeling very thirsty and drinking more water than usual
- Urinating more frequently, especially at night
- Feeling tired and lacking energy throughout the day
- Losing weight without trying
- Blurry vision or trouble focusing your eyes
- Cuts and wounds that heal slowly
- Tingling, numbness, or pain in your hands and feet
- Frequent infections, especially skin or urinary infections
- Feeling very hungry even after eating
- Dry, itchy skin
Many people with Type 2 diabetes have no symptoms for years. The condition develops slowly and blood sugar rises gradually. This is why regular blood testing is important, especially if you have risk factors.
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Causes and risk factors
Type 1 diabetes happens when your immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Scientists do not fully understand why this happens, but genetics and environmental triggers like viruses may play a role. Type 2 diabetes develops when your cells become resistant to insulin and your pancreas cannot keep up with the extra demand. Being overweight, especially around your waist, makes insulin resistance worse. Physical inactivity, poor diet, and stress also contribute.
Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include being over 45 years old, having a family history of diabetes, carrying excess weight, and being physically inactive. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy also increase your risk. Certain ethnic groups, including African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian American people, have higher rates of diabetes. Poor sleep and chronic stress can worsen insulin resistance over time.
How it's diagnosed
Diabetes is diagnosed through blood tests that measure glucose levels and how well your body manages blood sugar. A fasting glucose test measures your blood sugar after not eating for at least 8 hours. A result of 126 mg/dL or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes. The A1C test shows your average blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. An A1C of 6.5% or higher means you have diabetes.
Rite Aid tests over 200 biomarkers including glucose, estimated average glucose, and markers that track kidney function like eGFR and albumin-to-creatinine ratio. We also measure magnesium and RBC magnesium, which are often low in people with diabetes and can worsen insulin resistance. Testing at Quest Diagnostics locations nationwide makes it easy to monitor your blood sugar and catch problems early. Regular testing helps you see how lifestyle changes and medications are working.
Treatment options
- Eat a balanced diet focused on vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains
- Limit refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and processed foods that spike blood sugar
- Exercise for at least 150 minutes per week with activities like walking, swimming, or cycling
- Lose 5% to 10% of your body weight if you are overweight
- Get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night
- Manage stress through meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques
- Take medications as prescribed, such as metformin, which helps lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity
- Use insulin therapy if prescribed, especially for Type 1 diabetes or advanced Type 2 diabetes
- Monitor your blood sugar regularly to see how food, activity, and medication affect your levels
- Work with your doctor to adjust your treatment plan as needed
- Address low magnesium levels through diet or supplements, as magnesium helps insulin work properly
Concerned about Diabetes? Get tested at Rite Aid.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where your body stops making insulin. It usually starts in childhood or young adulthood and requires insulin therapy. Type 2 diabetes develops when your cells resist insulin and your pancreas cannot keep up. It often develops in adults and can sometimes be managed with lifestyle changes and oral medications.
Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured or reversed because your pancreas no longer makes insulin. Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be put into remission through significant weight loss, diet changes, and exercise. Remission means your blood sugar returns to normal without medication, but the condition can return if you regain weight or stop healthy habits.
If you have risk factors like being overweight, having a family history, or being over 45, get tested every 1 to 3 years. If you already have diabetes, test your blood sugar regularly as recommended by your doctor. Rite Aid members get 2 full blood panels per year to track glucose, kidney function, and other important markers.
A fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dL or higher on two separate tests indicates diabetes. An A1C level of 6.5% or higher also confirms diabetes. Prediabetes is diagnosed with fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL or A1C between 5.7% and 6.4%.
High blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in your kidneys that filter waste from your blood. Over time, this damage reduces your eGFR, a measure of how well your kidneys work. Protein or albumin in your urine is an early sign of kidney damage that testing can catch before symptoms appear.
Magnesium helps insulin move glucose into your cells for energy. Many people with diabetes have low magnesium levels, which worsens insulin resistance. Low magnesium can happen because high blood sugar increases urination, which flushes magnesium out of your body.
Yes, lifestyle changes can reduce your risk by up to 58% even if diabetes runs in your family. Losing 5% to 10% of your body weight, exercising regularly, and eating a diet low in refined carbs can prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes. Regular blood testing helps you catch prediabetes early when it is easier to reverse.
Uncontrolled diabetes can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nerves over time. This can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, vision loss, and nerve damage in your feet and hands. Regular testing and good blood sugar management reduce these risks significantly.
Target ranges vary by person, but most adults with diabetes aim for fasting blood sugar between 80 and 130 mg/dL. Two hours after eating, blood sugar should be below 180 mg/dL. Your doctor may adjust these targets based on your age, health conditions, and risk of low blood sugar.
Yes, exercise is one of the best things you can do for diabetes management. Physical activity helps your cells use insulin better and lowers blood sugar. Start slowly if you are not active now and check your blood sugar before and after exercise to see how your body responds.