Dr. Heidi Queen, MD | Energize Health & Hormones

When most people think about diabetes, they imagine a condition that develops suddenly after years of poor eating habits or weight gain. In reality, type 2 diabetes often develops gradually over many years, beginning with changes in the body that are easy to miss.

One of the earliest warning signs is prediabetes—a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that more than 115 million Americans have prediabetes, and nearly 80% don’t know they have it. The encouraging news is that prediabetes doesn’t have to become diabetes. In many cases, it can be reversed with early intervention and healthy lifestyle changes.

Understanding Prediabetes

Your body relies on glucose, or blood sugar, as its primary source of energy. After you eat, glucose enters your bloodstream, and a hormone called insulin helps move that glucose into your cells, where it is used for fuel. With prediabetes, that process begins to break down. Blood sugar levels remain higher than normal because the body isn’t responding to insulin as effectively as it once did. This condition, known as insulin resistance, often develops years before diabetes is diagnosed.

Think of insulin as a key that unlocks the doors to your body’s cells. As insulin resistance develops, those “locks” become harder to open. Your pancreas responds by producing more insulin to keep blood sugar under control. Over time, however, the pancreas may no longer be able to keep up with the increasing demand, allowing blood sugar levels to rise. This process usually happens quietly, without noticeable symptoms.

Why So Many People Don’t Know They Have It

Unlike many health conditions, prediabetes often doesn’t cause obvious warning signs. Many people feel perfectly healthy while blood sugar levels slowly increase. Because of this, routine screening becomes especially important for individuals with risk factors such as:

• Being over age 45
• Having a family history of diabetes
• Carrying excess body weight
• High blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol
• A history of gestational diabetes
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Limited physical activity

Even people who consider themselves relatively healthy can develop insulin resistance, making regular preventive care an important part of maintaining long-term health.

New Research Offers Hope

For years, prediabetes was often viewed as an inevitable step toward type 2 diabetes. New research tells a much more encouraging story. A large international analysis published in The Lancet Global Health found that many people with prediabetes are able to return their blood sugar to a normal range through healthy lifestyle changes. In fact, the study found that more participants returned to normal blood sugar levels than progressed to type 2 diabetes.

That’s an important shift in how we think about prediabetes. Rather than seeing it as an unavoidable path toward disease, experts increasingly view it as an early warning sign—one that provides an opportunity to make meaningful changes before permanent damage occurs.

Why Blood Sugar Matters Beyond Diabetes

Healthy blood sugar affects much more than your risk of developing diabetes. Over time, insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar have been linked to a variety of health concerns, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, chronic inflammation, and cognitive decline. Because these changes often develop gradually, identifying insulin resistance early may help reduce long-term health risks while improving overall energy, wellness, and quality of life.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference

The good news is that improving blood sugar doesn’t usually require dramatic changes overnight. Research consistently shows that sustainable lifestyle habits can have a significant impact. Some of the most effective strategies include:

• Eating more whole, minimally processed foods
• Including lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates at meals
• Limiting highly processed foods and added sugars
• Engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week
• Building and maintaining muscle through regular strength training
• Prioritizing quality sleep
• Managing stress through healthy coping strategies
• Achieving even modest weight loss when appropriate

For many people, losing just 5% to 7% of their body weight can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Prevention Begins with Awareness

One of the challenges with prediabetes is that it often develops silently. Many people don’t discover they have elevated blood sugar until routine lab work reveals a problem. That’s one reason preventive healthcare is so valuable. Regular screenings, thoughtful discussions about your personal risk factors, and individualized recommendations can identify concerns before they become more serious. Prediabetes isn’t a diagnosis of your future. Instead, it’s an opportunity to better understand how your body is functioning and take steps that can improve your health for years to come.

Dr. Queen believes that the best healthcare focuses not only on treating disease but on identifying potential problems early, when they are often the most manageable. By taking a proactive approach to metabolic health, patients can make informed choices that support healthy aging, improve overall wellness, and reduce their risk of chronic disease in the years ahead. If you’re ready to explore your options, call (415) 548-7901 to schedule a consultation and begin building a personalized plan for healthy aging.