Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for prediabetes

by Aidan Hermiston Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Take these steps to treat prediabetes:
  • Eat a healthy diet and lose weight. Losing 5% to 10% of your weight can make a huge difference.
  • Exercise. ...
  • Stop smoking.
  • Get your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.
  • Take medication like metformin (Glucophage) to lower your blood sugar if you're at high risk of diabetes.
Dec 8, 2021

Medication

Lifestyle interventions including diet and exercise are first-line treatments. Medications can also play a role, as randomized controlled trials of biguanides (metformin) alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (Acarbose), inhibitors of pancreatic lipase (Orlistat), PPAR-gamma agonists (Rosiglitazone, Pioglitazone), meglitinides (Nateglinide) and GLP-1 receptor agonists …

Self-care

While lifestyle changes are the most recommended form of treatment for people with prediabetes, the American Heart Association notes that at times, medications are prescribed to help in managing related conditions or significant prediabetes side effects.

Nutrition

Mar 15, 2015 · Exenatide and liraglutide have been demonstrated to have long term efficacy for sustained weight loss in obese subjects and reduce prevalence of prediabetes over a follow-up period of 1-2 years. The most common side effects with these drugs are nausea and vomiting and they remain injectable preparations[72-74].

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The treatment approach is twofold: glycemic control and control of cardiovascular risk factors, mainly hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Intensive lifestyle modification is the mainstay of treatment in low-risk patients. When lifestyle modification fails and in high-risk patients, medications such as metformin and/or acarbose are recommended.

What foods should pre diabetics avoid?

Metformin is a very common treatment for prediabetes, and an efficient one too. Chances are your doctor also told you to lose weight if you are overweight or obese, watch your diet, and to start exercising. Going home with your prescription is pretty straight forward and you know exactly what to do.

What is the best pre - diabetic diet plan?

For some people with prediabetes, early treatment as well as moderate lifestyle changes can actually return blood sugar levels to a normal range, effectively preventing or delaying type 2 diabetes. Ask your doctor plenty of questions and listen to the answers you get. Increase your daily physical activity. Start eating healthy.

How to stop prediabetes in its tracks?

Dec 02, 2016 · 7 Natural Treatments for Prediabetes Symptoms 1. Lose Excess Pounds. Several studies have shown the efficacy of lifestyle interventions in the prevention of diabetes... 2. Follow a Diabetic Diet Plan. In your quest to lose weight and avoid prediabetes symptoms, you need to follow a... 3. Chromium. ...

How to control and manage prediabetes?

Dec 03, 2020 · There is research supporting reduced-carbohydrate diets in the treatment of prediabetes. Reducing your sugar and starch intake may lower blood sugar levels by preventing as much sugar from going into your blood.

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What is the best medication for prediabetes?

Metformin is currently the only medication recommended by the ADA for the treatment of prediabetes.Mar 25, 2012

Can prediabetes be reversed permanently?

Yes, prediabetes can be reversed. The most effective way to reverse prediabetes, or return to normal blood sugar levels, is to focus on exercise, healthy eating, and losing weight. Some medications may also work to stop prediabetes becoming diabetes, but none have been approved by the FDA.Apr 22, 2020

Should pre diabetics take medication?

While lifestyle changes can work wonders, some people with prediabetes also need medication. Your doctor may prescribe metformin if you have certain risk factors, such as low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, high triglycerides (a type of blood fat), a parent or sibling with diabetes, or are overweight.Feb 16, 2022

How can I get rid of prediabetes fast?

13 Ways to Reverse Prediabetes, FastLose Weight. ... Exercise - and Consider HIIT Training. ... Even Walking Counts. ... Get More Fiber - Eat More Raspberries. ... Eat At Specific Times - Try Intermittent Fasting. ... Watch for High Glycemic Foods. ... Be Cautious with Carbs (Including Alcohol) ... Reduce Sugar In Your Diet.More items...•Nov 9, 2020

How do I convert from prediabetes to normal?

Some people have successfully reversed prediabetes by modifying their diet and lifestyle.Eat a “clean” diet. ... Exercise regularly. ... Lose excess weight. ... Stop smoking. ... Eat fewer carbs. ... Treat sleep apnea. ... Drink more water. ... Work with a dietitian nutritionist.Jun 5, 2020

How long does it take to go from prediabetes to normal?

Reversing prediabetes Most people diagnosed with prediabetes develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years. This means you should have time to prevent this from happening. On the other hand, it takes about three years to reverse prediabetes. You also have to change your lifestyle.Nov 22, 2021

Should I take metformin if I am prediabetic?

Recent guidelines recommend considering use of metformin in patients with prediabetes (fasting plasma glucose 100-125 mg/dL, 2-hr post-load glucose 140-199 mg/dL, or A1C 5.7-6.4%), especially in those who are <60 years old, have a BMI >35 kg/m2, or have a history of gestational diabetes.Mar 21, 2017

Is metformin given for prediabetes?

The ADA recommends that, in addition to lifestyle counseling, metformin be considered in selected patients with prediabetes.

Is metformin necessary for prediabetes?

Unlike with type 2 diabetes, metformin only needs to be used for prediabetes while your numbers are high. Unfortunately for many, achieving a normal HbA1C isn't easy.Jul 23, 2019

Can prediabetes be cured without medication?

Prediabetes can also lead to other health conditions, including heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, you can reverse prediabetes. Treatment may include lifestyle modifications, such as diet, exercise, and medication. The first step for managing prediabetes is understanding what a prediabetes diagnosis means.

What foods get rid of prediabetes?

The first rule is to cut down on simple carbohydrates like sugar, a quick-release carb.Eliminate sweetened beverages. ... Next, look at foods that have added sugar: ... Then cross off empty “white foods”: ... Experiment with other grains and starches: ... Healthy proteins include: ... Fruit. ... Alcohol. ... Consider your meal times.More items...•Dec 11, 2019

What blood sugar is prediabetic?

Fasting Blood Sugar Test This measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast (not eating). A fasting blood sugar level of 99 mg/dL or lower is normal, 100 to 125 mg/dL indicates you have prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL or higher indicates you have diabetes.

Can you treat prediabetes?

When diagnosed with prediabetes, opting to make healthy lifestyle changes is one of the best steps you can take to help bring your blood sugar leve...

Can physical activity help treat prediabetes?

According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), physical activity can help prevent or delay type 2 diabet...

What's the link between smoking and diabetes?

Smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers, it’s also more difficult for smokers with diabetes to control their dis...

How common is prediabetes?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), prediabetes is pretty common with an estimated 88 million American adults living with the condition.

Does eating red meat affect blood sugar?

A diet high in processed foods or red meat can have a negative impact on your blood glucose. Choosing to eat a variety of healthy foods will not only help towards keeping your blood sugar levels healthy, it will have a positive effect on your overall well-being.

Is smoking a risk factor for diabetes?

Smoking is just one of a number of risk factors associated with both prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. In fact, according to the FDA, smokers are 30-40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-smokers [4].

Does physical activity help with diabetes?

According to The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), physical activity can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in those with prediabetes [2]. It’s also a great way to increase insulin sensitivity and can play a part in reversing insulin resistance.

Is HBA1C a blood glucose level?

Although, HbA1c is believed to represent an average blood sugar level and should ideally represent hyperglycemia more accurately, this may not be entirely true. HbA1c is substantially determined by genetic factors independent of blood glucose levels and may be an imprecise tool to measure average blood sugar[9,10].

Does Exenatide help with weight loss?

Exenatide and liraglutide have been demonstrated to have long term efficacy for sustained weight loss in obese subjects and reduce prevalence of prediabetes over a follow-up period of 1-2 years. The most common side effects with these drugs are nausea and vomiting and they remain injectable preparations[72-74].

Is prediabetes a high risk disease?

While, the diagnostic criteria of prediabetes are not uniform across various international professional organizations, it remains a state of high risk for developing diabetes with yearly conversion rate of 5%-10%. Observational evidence suggests as association between prediabetes and complications of diabetes such early nephropathy, ...

You are prediabetic, now what?

About 1/3 of people diagnosed with prediabetes will be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes within 5 years. Scary, right? Especially when we know that among the complications of diabetes, we find heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and even amputation.

Best treatment is NOT metformin

The National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) was a large study that began in 2002. it tracked, for a duration of 15 years, more than 3000 overweight people diagnosed with prediabetes. The goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments when it comes to reducing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Best way to reverse prediabetes

What does this mean? Well, it’s pretty straight forward! The best way to reduce your risk of developing diabetes (whether you have already been diagnosed with prediabetes or not) is to find the support and guidance you need in order to lose a little bit of weight, eat healthier, and move more.

Changes required to help reverse prediabetes

You might wonder what it means to change one’s lifestyle. For the study mentioned above, the goal was a healthy weight loss of 5% to 7%, as well as 150 minutes of physical activity per week. I am not saying that this is easy. But don’t you think that it is attainable, if you know where to start and get support along the way?

What can YOU do in your daily life?

From what I have seen, the biggest road block is giving up before even getting started because we think it will be to hard and make us unhappy. You now know better, so that’s out of the way! You’re welcome!

What are the symptoms of prediabetes?

Final Thoughts on Prediabetes Symptoms 1 The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention National Diabetes Statistics Report states that 37 percent of United States adults older than 20 years and 51 percent of those older than 65 have prediabetes. 2 Prediabetes is a condition defined as having blood glucose levels above normal but below the defined threshold of diabetes. It’s considered to be an at-risk state, with high chances of developing diabetes. 3 Prediabetes symptoms may go unnoticed. Some signs of prediabetes include abnormal fasting glucose levels and acanthosis nigricans. 4 There are several risk factors for developing prediabetes, including being older than 45, being a woman, having family with diabetes and being overweight. 5 Lifestyle interventions can significantly reduce your chances of developing diabetes. These include losing weight by exercising at least four hours per week and eating a diet rich in protein, fiber and healthy fats.

What are the best foods to reduce blood sugar?

Healthy fats, like coconut oil and avocados, benefit your blood glucose levels and help you reverse prediabetes symptoms. ( 12) A very important component of a diabetic diet is staying away from sugar and reducing your carbohydrate intake. Refined sugar spikes blood glucose levels.

Why does sugar build up in the bloodstream?

Instead, it builds up in your bloodstream because the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or your cells become resistant to the action of insulin. ( 19) Researchers have found that there are accessible variables in determining who’s at risk for prediabetes.

What is the A1C of a diabetic?

Diabetes is diagnosed at an A1C of greater than or equal to 6.5 percent; for prediabetes, the A1C is between 5.7 percent and 6.4 percent. Fasting plasma glucose is a test that checks your fasting (not eating or drinking for at least 8 hours) blood glucose levels.

How many people will have diabetes by 2035?

Furthermore, the International Diabetes Federation projects an increase in prevalence of prediabetes to 471 million globally by 2035. ( 1) Luckily, research shows that lifestyle intervention may decrease the percentage of prediabetic patients who develop diabetes from 37 percent to 20 percent. ( 2)

What is the blood glucose level for diabetes?

Diabetes is diagnosed at a two-hour blood glucose of greater than or equal to 200 milligrams per deciliter; for prediabetes, the two-hour blood glucose is between 140 and 199 milligrams per deciliter. ( 4) Prediabetes is not a new condition; it’s a new name for a disorder that doctors have known about for a long time.

How long does it take for a diabetic to become a type 2 diabetic?

Without intervention, people with prediabetes are likely to become type 2 diabetics within 10 years. For people with prediabetes, the long-term damage to the heart and circulatory system that is associated with diabetes may have started already. ( 3) There are several ways to diagnose prediabetes.

How to prevent diabetes?

Finding the Right Diet for Preventing Diabetes. A prediabetes diet plan can help your blood sugars get closer to or even within healthy ranges. In prediabetes, your blood sugar is higher than normal but still lower than in diabetes (this is known as insulin resistance ).

Why does blood glucose rise in prediabetes?

In prediabetes, your body has trouble managing the glucose in your blood due to resistance to a hormone called insulin. Normally, insulin is able to help your body keep blood glucose levels in check, but the effect is weaker if you have prediabetes, so blood glucose rises.

What are the best foods to eat to lose weight?

The carbohydrates in your diet that provide weight loss include sugars and starches. Starches are in grains and flour, beans, and starchy vegetables.

What is the CDC program?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, have developed a program with diet and lifestyle changes that has been shown among prediabetes patients to reduce the risk of developing diabetes by over 50%. This program is the Diabetes Prevention Program, or DPP.

How many calories are in a keto diet?

Each plan has about 1,200 to 1,400 calories per day. If you need more, you can add in one or more of the healthy snack options listed below the menus. There is are one-week menus for a low-carb ketogenic diet and for a balanced, DPP-based prediabetes diet, and snacks listed for both types of diets. Be sure to:

Is prediabetes reversible?

The good news about prediabetes is that it is reversible, meaning you can prevent the progression of type 2 diabetes. The Mayo Clinic states that by following a healthier diet by eating nutritious foods and adding daily activity to your routine, you can regulate your blood sugar.

Can you reverse prediabetes?

Best Diet Plan to Reverse Prediabetes. A great thing about prediabetes is that it is often reversible. In most cases, you do not even need medications , all you may need are the right diet plan, additional healthy lif estyle choices such as exercising and avoiding smoking, and a lot of dedication and patience.

How to prevent diabetes?

The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) has been proven to help people make the lifestyle changes needed to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Through the program, participants: 1 Work with a trained coach to make lasting lifestyle changes. 2 Discover how to eat healthy and add more physical activity into their day. 3 Find out how to manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can slow progress.

What is the National Diabetes Prevention Program?

The CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) has been proven to help people make the lifestyle changes needed to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Through the program, participants: Work with a trained coach to make lasting lifestyle changes.

Can you have prediabetes for years?

You can have prediabetes for years but have no clear symptoms, so it often goes undetected until serious health problems show up. That’s why it’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood sugar tested if you have any of the risk factors for prediabetes, which include:

What are the factors that affect the risk of diabetes?

Race and ethnicity are also a factor: African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans are at higher risk.

Can diabetes cause depression?

Some studies suggest that diabetes doubles the risk of depression, and that risk increases as more diabetes-related health problems develop.

Is prediabetes a serious disease?

Don’t let the “pre” fool you—prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

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Diagnosis

Clinical Trials

Alternative Medicine

Preparing For Your Appointment

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle to prevent type 2 diabetes is the best approach.
Medication

Antidiabetics: Controls glucose level, not usually necessary.

Metformin


Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: Acarbose can improve glycemic control in adults.

Acarbose

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Eating healthy food, especially those low in fat and calories, and high in fiber
  • Being more active, increasing physical activity of at least 30 minutes per day
  • Stop smoking
  • Losing excess weight, even losing 5-10 percent can reduce risk of developing prediabetes into diabetes type 2

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Eat foods with low glycaemic index such as steel-cut oats, stone-ground whole wheat bread and non-starchy vegetables, such as carrots and field greens
  • Lean meats, such as chicken without skin, egg whites, soybean products etc.
  • Eggs and dairy products (such as milk, yogurt, and cheese)
  • Soy-based food and beverages

Foods to avoid:

  • Sugary beverages
  • Baked goods, such as, cookies, cakes, and pies
  • Frozen desserts
  • Red meat, especially processed Red meats such as hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats
  • Trans fat containing foods such as, Frozen pizza, commercially fried food, etc.

Specialist to consult

Endocrinologist
Specializes in the function and disorders of the endocrine system of the body.
Primary care physician
Specializes in the acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health.
Dieticians
Specialize in the nutritious diet and patient's food habits.

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