Diabetes is a disease that causes your blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) to be too high because your body cannot make enough of a hormone called insulin. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, helps your body use the glucose as energy, and therefore lower blood sugar levels.
A health test can help you understand your blood sugar levels in your body. If you have too much, you can then make changes to your diet or lifestyle to bring it down to normal levels or manage it with medication.
What is Diabetes?
There are two types of diabetes- Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is where your pancreas cannot make any insulin at all to regulate your blood sugar levels, whereas Type 2 diabetes is where your pancreas is not working properly or is not making enough to keep blood sugar levels low.
High blood sugar levels can damage your heart, eyes, feet, and kidneys if left untreated. It’s estimated that over 1 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes without realising. A diabetes health test can determine the amount of glucose in your blood and your risk of developing diabetes so that you can make lifestyle changes or make sure you get the treatment you need.
Diabetes is a condition that can be managed with insulin (Type 1) or sent into remission (Type 2), with lifestyle changes and a better diet.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
If your body is not producing enough insulin and you could be diabetic includes:
- Urinating frequently (more than 10 times a day)
- Persistent thirst
- Increased hunger
- Chronic fatigue
- Dry eyes or blurred vision
- Dry mouth or tongue
- Cuts and wounds take longer to heal
How do I get tested for diabetes?
You can measure your blood sugar level with a simple blood test for diabetes, either through a home diabetes test or at a local clinic with an expert professional. The diabetes blood test will measure the amount of sugar within your blood, with the results confirming whether you are diabetic, or pre-diabetic.
You can also check whether your diabetics is improving, or going into remission, by a blood test if you making a lifestyle change.
The health test will test for the following biomarker: HbA1C
This test will measure your average levels of blood glucose over the previous 2-3 months using your blood sample. This can help identify whether you are pre-diabetic or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, enabling you to start making the lifestyle changes required to reduce your risk levels.
Discover the right test for you.
“Diabetes can be caused by being overweight, lack of exercise and a Western-style diet. Around 700 people every day are diagnosed with diabetes, with many people not realising that they have the disease until they get tested.”
Key points:
- Diabetes is a disease that causes your blood sugar to be too high because your body cannot make enough of a hormone called insulin.
- If you are worried about whether you might have diabetes, get tested for peace of mind. If Diabetes is left untreated, it can damage your heart, eyes, feet, and kidneys.
- Over 1 million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes without realising. Book a health test today and find out whether you have diabetes.
- You can receive your results to your diabetes test within just 5 minutes.
Search for Diabetes tests
How a Sample is Taken
For the Diabetes test, a sample of your blood is taken and tested for the HbA1C ‘biomarker’ which shows the level of your blood sugar and whether it is in the diabetic range, or not.
With most health tests, there are two options for taking a sample of blood, which is used to test for certain biomarkers. The two most common options are a finger-prick or venous draw:
Finger prick Draw:
Health Tests that take blood via the ‘finger-prick’ method are usually done within the comfort of your own home, enabling you to take a small amount of blood discreetly and conveniently when you want to.
Venous Draw:
Once you have booked your health test, you’ll be sent the blood kit which includes all the equipment needed for a professional blood draw by an experienced healthcare professional, with clinics available across the UK to take your sample.
Details about which option is available for this health test, are available when you compare the results.
Frequently Asked Questions
If diabetes goes undiagnosed and uncontrolled, it can cause heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and coma.
It is possible to put diabetes into remission, which means that your blood sugar levels are below the diabetes range, and you may not have to take diabetes medication but there is no permanent cure for Type 2 diabetes.
What are the symptoms of Diabetes?
The most common symptoms experienced by many people with diabetes are increased thirst, increased urination, feeling tired and losing weight. Other symptoms include increased hunger, blurred vision, and a dry mouth. If you have any of these symptoms, get checked with a Diabetes health test.
Can I get Diabetes if I’m vegan or vegetarian?
Yes, since diabetes is linked to lifestyle and diet choices, vegetarian, or plant- based diets that are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and a high blood sugar level.
Search for Diabetes tests