Half a million adults may have type 2 diabetes without even realising it, a study has revealed. Scientists analysed blood samples from 200,000 Britons aged between 40 and 70. They found that 2,000 of them had very high blood sugar levels, indicating they had diabetes, but had not yet been diagnosed with the condition. With these shocking statistics, what are the three main symptoms to look out for warning you may be living with the condition and not know?

Type 2 diabetes is a common condition that causes high blood sugar levels.

Anyone who experiences possible signs and symptoms of diabetes should see a doctor for an evaluation, especially if they have other risk factors for developing this condition.

The early detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes can improve a person’s quality of life and reduce the risk of severe complications.

With this in mind, health care professionals warn of the three most common signs experienced indicating your blood sugar levels are too high and are at risk. These include frequent urination, increased thirst and feeling tired.

Frequent urination

Excessive thirst and increased urination are common diabetes signs and symptoms.

“When you have diabetes, excess glucose — a type of sugar — builds up in your blood,” said the Mayo Clinic.

The health site continued: “Your kidneys are forced to work overtime to filter and absorb the excess glucose.

“When your kidneys can’t keep up, the excess glucose is excreted into your urine, dragging along fluids from your tissues, which makes you dehydrated.

“This will usually leave you feeling thirsty. As you drink more fluids to quench your thirst, you’ll urinate even more.”

Increased thirst

Having an insatiable thirst is caused by too much sugar (glucose) in the blood.

When a person has type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use sugars from food properly.

This causes sugar to collect in your blood.

High blood sugar levels force a person’s kidneys to go into overdrive to get rid of the extra sugar which in turn leaves a person feeling constantly thirsty.

Feeling tired

Blood glucose levels go high when there is either insufficient insulin or the insulin is not working effectively enough.

“To provide us with energy, insulin is needed to transport glucose from blood into our cells to be used for energy,” explained Diabetes.co.uk.

It added: “When there is not enough insulin, or the insulin isn’t working effectively, it means the sugar in our blood cannot get into our cells and therefore our cells do not receive the energy they need.

“As a result, we feel tired.”

A study by the University of Exeter revealed that one percent of people in the UK – over half a million people – could be living with type 2 diabetes without knowing it.

The study suggested that a national screening programme should be brought in to improve diagnosis.

Experts said symptoms of type 2 diabetes, which include frequently going to the toilet, being thirsty and feeling tired, are easy to miss, especially during the early stages.

Co-author Dr Katherine Young, said: “As people can have type 2 diabetes for many years without symptoms, diagnosis may be delayed, increasing the risk of complications.”

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