New diabetes screening method shows healthy people are sicker than we knew

Scientists have developed a new way to test people for the earliest signs of diabetes and it turns out a lot more healthy individuals might be on the cusp of developing the deadly disease than researchers had previously thought. 

Diabetes is one of the nastiest metabolic diseases afflicting society today and the World Health Organization has estimated that roughly 422 million people suffer from the health condition worldwide. But there is a silver lining to this widespread global epidemic. 

Luckily, if the signs and symptoms of diabetes are caught fast enough then the disease can be reversed with proper lifestyle changes, which is why early detection is important. 

That’s why scientists at Klick Labs began developing a new method of flagging diabetes earlier by focusing on detecting a key precursor of the disease called impaired glucose homeostasis, and they were very successful in their goal to improve detection. 

In a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health, researchers from Klick Labs detailed their new as well as some very worrying findings from their first analysis of data taken from continuous glucose monitors according to a press release. 

One in five of the participants in the study who were flagged as healthy by their doctors had similar glucose metabolism to that of people who are considered to be pre-diabetic. 

“For people with diabetes, blood glucose levels can rise and fall like a wild roller-coaster ride with steep drops and peaks,” the study’s lead author Jaycee Kaufman explained. 

“We found a similar pattern in patients with IGH, albeit those patterns were more like gentle waves than dramatic peaks, but intervention on this population could limit the likelihood of progression to full diabetes,” Kaufman added according to Klick Labs. 

Kaufman and her team looked at 384 people who were fitted with continuous glucose monitors and had them assessed by a medical professional over a two-week period. 

The news release also noted that participants were sorted into three groups—diabetic, prediabetic, and healthy—based on the guidelines provided by the American Diabetes Association and then reclassified after the study into two groups: effective or impaired.  

“What was most surprising is that 20 percent of participants, who were assessed using the standard screening tools for diabetes and cleared as healthy by a physician, were then found to have impaired glucose homeostasis,” Klick Labs VP Yan Fosset said. 

Fosset added that his company’s new method of early diabetes detection was a major step forward in the prevention and management of the disease, something that could help save lives if the method turns out to be as promising as Klick Labs is suggesting. 

“Early detection and intervention is critical in the management of Type 2 diabetes, so our method has the potential to have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide,” Fosset continued. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people suffering from prediabetes can reverse their condition if proper lifestyle changes are made quickly. 

Reducing your weight and increasing your activity levels can play a big role in keeping you healthy and diabetes free. Adding 150 minutes of regular weekly exercise to your life can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Managing stress levels and ensuring you stick to a healthy diet also can also help in preventing diabetes according to the CDC. But always remember to ask your doctor before making any big lifestyle changes and be sure to get checked regularly.