Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic diseases in women. When someone has diabetes, their body can't use or make insulin. Insulin is what turns the sugar in the blood into energy. When there is too much sugar in the blood, it can kill all of the organs. This disease can happen to anyone, no matter what social class, race, gender, or age they are.
Because the ways in which women balance their hormones and inflammation that shows up in their bodies are different from men's, their symptoms are a little different from those of diabetic men. The effects of diabetes in women are quite severe. Keep reading to learn more about the effects of diabetes in women and the symptoms of the same.
Symptoms Of Diabetes In Women
1. Frequent Hunger
Most of the time, people with diabetes don't get enough energy from the food they eat. The digestive system breaks down food into glucose, a simple sugar the body uses for energy. People with diabetes don't get enough glucose from their blood into their cells. Because of this, people with type 2 diabetes often feel hungry all the time, even if they just ate.
2. Fatigue
Type 2 diabetes can make a person feel tired and affect how much energy they have. The effects of diabetes in women also include fatigue. It makes people tired because not enough sugar gets from the bloodstream into the cells of the body.
3. Frequent Urination
When there is too much sugar in the blood, the kidneys try to eliminate it by filtering it out. It can make a person need to go to the bathroom more often, especially at night.
4. Increased Thirst
Urinating often to get rid of too much sugar in the blood can cause the body to lose more water. Over time, this can make a person feel more thirsty than usual and cause them to lose water.
The Effects of Diabetes in Women
1. Increased UTIs And Yeast Infections
Dr. Subbulaxmi Trikudanathan, clinical director of the UW Medicine Diabetes Institute, says that women with diabetes are more likely to get urinary tract infections (UTIs) and vaginal yeast infections. It is one of the common effects of diabetes in women. High blood sugar can make it hard for the immune system to work, which is called immunosuppression, and high glucose levels can help yeast grow.
UTI symptoms of diabetes include blood in the urine, burning while peeing, and having to go to the bathroom more often and quickly. These effects of diabetes in women lead to a lot of inconveniences. Yeast infections in the vaginal area can cause burning, itching, a change in the colour or consistency of vaginal discharge, and redness of the labia and vulva.
Increased UTIs And Yeast Infections
2. Sexual Dysfunction
A lower libido can be caused by a higher risk of a urinary tract infection (UTI) or candidiasis. This can also be changed by other things. Diabetic neuropathy happens to a lot of people with diabetes. This happens when the nerve fibres in the body are hurt by having too much glucose in the blood. The effects of diabetes in women are very different. It makes the hands, feet, and legs feel less and changes the way the vagina feels during sexual activity.
3. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
If a person has diabetes, they are more likely to have PCOS. This is one of the most common effects of diabetes in women. In PCOS, an imbalance of hormones makes it so that the ovaries can't release eggs correctly. The symptomatic PCOS can make it harder to conceive and to have kids. PCOS is not a sign of diabetes, but women who have diabetes are more likely to have it than those who don't. The American Diabetes Association says that genes may play a role, but there may also be a link between PCOS and the production of insulin (ADA). These effects of diabetes in women need medical attention.
4. Menstrual Cycle
Because of changes in hormone levels right before and during your period, it can be hard to predict your blood sugar levels. You may also have periods that are longer or heavier, and food cravings can make it harder to take care of diabetes. Over time, you might see a pattern, or you might find that each period is different. It is one of the effects of diabetes in women.
5. Birth Control
High blood sugar can cause issues during pregnancy. Therefore, it's vital to take birth control if you don't want to become pregnant or if you want to wait until your blood sugar levels are in your goal range. Barrier methods like condoms and diaphragms, and non-intrusive methods, including intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants, injections, pills, patches, and vaginal rings, are also effective forms of birth control. Which option is best depends on your overall health, existing medication regimen, and other considerations? These effects of diabetes in women are quite severe, and therefore, you should go see your doctor immediately.
Gestational Diabetes And Pregnancy
Women who don't already have diabetes can get gestational diabetes, which is high blood sugar during pregnancy. These effects of diabetes in women are increasing day by day. Every year, it affects between 2% and 10% of pregnancies in the United States. Gestational Diabetes can happen to any woman, but some are more likely to get it than others. Those who are overweight or obese, over 25 years old, or have a family history of type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk. To have a healthy pregnancy and baby, it's important to take care of things carefully.
If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that includes eating a balanced diet in the proper amounts and doing regular exercise. To maintain your health and the health of your unborn child, you may need to take medication or receive insulin shots for diabetes. These effects of diabetes in women are not rare but problematic.
After giving birth, most women with gestational diabetes feel better. However, 50 percent of pregnant women with diabetes will eventually acquire type 2 diabetes. If your blood sugar levels aren't within a healthy range, see your doctor 4-12 weeks after giving birth and then annually or triennially after that. To reduce your chance of developing type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor about enrolling in the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which is led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and features a lifestyle change program with proven results.
Takeaway
See your doctor if you have any of the signs of diabetes. These effects of diabetes in women are generally neglected, but you shouldn't do the same. Diabetes can cause serious problems if not treated, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage, and death. Your doctor will check your blood sugar levels, and if you have diabetes, he or she will help you come up with a plan to keep your levels normal.
There are many common effects of diabetes in women. If you have mild diabetes, your doctor will probably tell you to follow a diet plan, work out, and lose weight. Your doctor may give you medicine to help lower your blood sugar. Some women may need to take insulin. We hope that this article on the effects of diabetes in women helped you.
