Why diabetes may cut ten years off your life

Type 2 diabetes is all too common in America, with cases increasing 18% from 2012 to 2022. It also was the eighth leading cause of death in 2021, attributing to over 100,000 fatalities. Yet among the global population with type 2 diabetes, 44% are undiagnosed. 

“Many people are only identified after complications or during routine health monitoring,” says Dr. Angela Pauline Calimag-Loyola, an endocrinologist at Advocate Health Care. “For this reason, it is often called a ‘silent disease.’”  

What is type 2 diabetes? 

Believe it or not, your body needs sugar. After you consume sugar, your metabolism breaks it down into simpler forms, like glucose and fructose. These sugars pass through your intestinal lining, entering the bloodstream where it helps keep your heart beating, repairs damaged cells and gives you the energy needed to move about. However, too much sugar in the blood can be toxic, so the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to store excess sugar for later use.  

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin to manage your blood sugar. 

Who is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Dr. Calimag-Loyola says the following factors can increase your risk: 

• Age. You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes after the age of 45
• Family history of diabetes 
• African American, Hispanic, Asian American and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity 
• Obesity 
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol 
• Living a sedentary lifestyle 

Why does type 2 diabetes affect your lifespan?

“Undiagnosed diabetes represents a major public health problem,” warns Dr. Calimag-Loyola. “Being undiagnosed leads not only to delayed treatment but also a higher risk of debilitating disease – even death.”  

On average, type 2 diabetes can decrease life expectancy by 10 years.  

“Undiagnosed diabetes can worsen your quality of life and lead to symptoms like fatigue, frequent infections and poor wound healing,” Dr. Calimag-Loyola adds. 

Of course, developing it at an earlier age can mean even more lost time as the disease compounds damage to the body, while those who develop it later in life may lose fewer years. 

Why are so many people with type 2 diabetes undiagnosed? 

Early stages of type 2 diabetes may not feel especially threatening. Glucose toxicity, also known as hyperglycemia, may feel like increased thirst, hunger or urination in mild cases. These methods are how the body expels excess blood sugar or reduces its concentration in the blood by adding more water. 

For many, these experiences may feel like the product of other life choices, like not getting enough to eat or drinking too much. But as these symptoms are overlooked, the condition often worsens.

When should you talk to a doctor about type 2 diabetes? 

“Diabetes increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, renal failure, neuropathy, blindness and infections that may result in amputation,” says Dr. Calimag-Loyola.  

Type 2 diabetes must be carefully managed in order to minimize the risk of future harm to your health.

Dr. Calimag-Loyola says you should see a health care provider if you experience: 

• Increased thirst or hunger 
• Frequent urination 
• Unexplained weight loss 
• Fatigue or weakness 
• Blurred vision 
• Slow wound healing 
• Numbness or tingling in limbs 

Want to learn more about your risk for diabetes? Take a free online quiz.