IF you are over 40, and even if you feel healthy, a test for diabetes is always a good idea. While a blood glucose test may reveal that you do not have diabetes, it could help identify if you have Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), which is also referred to as prediabetes.
You have IGT when your test shows blood glucose levels of between 5.6 mmol/l and 6.9 mmol/l.
What is IGT?
IGT is an early sign that you may be at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is the stage between having normal blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetes. And, a good percentage of people over 40 have IGT. (Note: People with IGT experience a greater rise in blood glucose level after eating carbohydrates while their fasting level is normal or moderately raised.)
What causes IGT?
IGT is caused by a combination of a weakened secretion of insulin and reduced sensitivity of the body’s cells to insulin or insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when your pancreas secretes normal amounts of insulin to regulate sugar but the body cells resist or do not respond.
Insulin resistance is a growing concern because more and more people are becoming obese and physically inactive – both these factors aggravate insulin resistance.
The risk of heart disease rises exponentially for people with insulin resistance, high blood sugar, high amounts of blood fats and low levels of good cholesterol. Add high blood pressure in that equation, and you have Syndrome X.
Who is at risk of getting IGT?
Older people, Asians, people who are overweight and carrying a lot of fat in the abdominal region, those who are physically inactive, had low birth weight and genetic factors.
People with IGT have a 40% to 50 % chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Once you have IGT, the body’s ability to deal with carbohydrates declines, resulting in type 2 diabetes. IGT also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
How is IGT confirmed?
One of the tests used is oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The test measures blood glucose levels two hours after consuming a 75-gram glucose solution. You have IGT if your blood glucose level is more than 7.8 mmol/l but less than 11.1 mmol/l. You have diabetes if your blood glucose level is more than 11.1 mmol/l.
Read carefully: The test will show how good a job the insulin is doing to help your body cells and muscles take up glucose from the bloodstream after a meal.
If there isn’t enough insulin or it’s not working properly, the glucose will stay in the bloodstream – resulting in a high blood glucose reading.
How to treat IGT?
Increase your level of physical activity, achieve a healthy weight and follow a healthy, balanced diet. All these help reduce your progression to type 2 diabetes. Medication is not normally prescribed for IGT.
Research has revealed that diets very low in fat may aggravate the effect of insulin resistance on blood lipids.
Do not avoid naturally fatty foods, but limit saturated fats. Avoid hydrogenated oils and fried foods. For hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) symptoms eat smaller more frequent meals. Snacks should be non-starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds or protein foods.
Excerpt from The Star
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This information is courtesy of Roche Diagnostics.The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care.
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