Prediabetes: What It Is, How It Leads to Diabetes, and How to Stop It

When your prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough to be called type 2 diabetes. Also known as impaired glucose tolerance, it’s your body’s last warning before diabetes takes hold. This isn’t just a number on a lab report—it’s a sign your cells are starting to ignore insulin, the hormone that tells your body to use sugar for energy. Left unchecked, prediabetes turns into type 2 diabetes in up to 70% of cases within a decade. But here’s the good news: it’s reversible. Most people who act early can get their blood sugar back to normal.

Prediabetes doesn’t happen overnight. It’s tied to insulin resistance, when muscle and fat cells stop responding well to insulin, forcing the pancreas to pump out more. That extra effort wears down the pancreas over time. Obesity, especially belly fat, is the biggest driver, but even people who aren’t overweight can develop it if they’re inactive or eat too much processed food. It’s also more common in people over 45, those with a family history, or those who’ve had gestational diabetes. The scary part? Most people with prediabetes don’t know it. No symptoms. No pain. Just slowly rising numbers.

That’s why testing matters. A simple A1C test or fasting glucose test can catch it before it’s too late. And once you know, you’re not stuck. The same lifestyle changes that help with type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition where the body can’t properly regulate blood sugar. work even better for prediabetes—because you’re starting earlier. Losing just 5-7% of your body weight cuts your risk of diabetes by more than half. Walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, makes a measurable difference. Cutting out sugary drinks and swapping white bread for whole grains? Those aren’t just "healthy habits"—they’re medical interventions with proof behind them.

Some medications, like metformin, are approved for prediabetes, especially if you’re young, overweight, or have other risk factors. But pills alone won’t fix it. The real power comes from combining them with movement and better food choices. That’s why the posts below cover everything from how prediabetes interacts with common drugs like metoprolol and sulfonylureas, to how automated refills help people stick to their plans, and why reading labels on OTC meds matters when your blood sugar is already on edge. You’ll find real advice on managing side effects, avoiding dangerous drug interactions, and using tools like CGMs to track progress. This isn’t about fear. It’s about control. And you have more of it than you think.