What Are the Early Warning Signs of Diabetes?

With 4.4 million people living with diabetes, it is one of the most common health conditions in the UK.

However, Diabetes UK estimates that a further 1.2 million people are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. That's why it's important to recognise the early warning signs of diabetes, so you can start the treatment and management of symptoms as early as possible.

In this article, we will talk through the first signs of diabetes, as well as what you should do if you experience these early warning signs of diabetes.

10 early warning signs of diabetes

While there are some shared early warning signs of diabetes type 1 and type 2, it's important to keep in mind that type 1 symptoms can often be more intense. Additionally, type 1 is typically diagnosed in childhood or in young adults, but it is possible to display signs when you're older.

If left untreated, type 1 diabetes can make you quite unwell or even lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), so if you do have any of these early warning signs of diabetes, it's important to see your GP as soon as possible.

1. Frequently needing to urinate

One of the most common early warning signs of diabetes is needing to urinate more frequently, particularly during the night.

As diabetes impacts the glucose-regulating insulin in the body, the levels of glucose start to rise. While the kidneys would ordinarily reabsorb this glucose into the blood when the levels get too high, they instead start to get rid of the excess glucose through urine.

On average, a person without diabetes may go to the toilet anywhere between 4 and 8 times a day. However, in the case of a diabetic, they may find themselves needing the toilet every 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Feeling thirsty all the time

As diabetes causes an excessive amount of urine to be passed, this can leave the body feeling dehydrated. As a result, feeling thirsty all the time is one of the first signs of diabetes.

Glucose uses water to dissolve into your body. This means, when your body gets rid of extra glucose, it’s getting rid of water too, which causes your body to feel dehydrated, leaving you feeling thirsty.

While it is recommended for the average adult to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, someone with diabetes may find they drink between 11 and 15 a day to quench their thirst.

3. Feeling tired all the time

Feeling tired all the time is another early warning sign of diabetes. This is because of the effect diabetes has on glucose levels and the production of insulin.

In order to give us energy, our body needs to effectively transport glucose from the blood into our cells, which requires insulin. However, this is an issue if you have diabetes, with your body either not having enough insulin or your body’s cells not reacting properly to insulin. As a result, sugar can’t get from the blood into the cells to give the body energy, leaving you feeling tired, even if you’ve had a full and restful night’s sleep.

To help manage this early warning sign of diabetes while you wait for a GP appointment, try improving your sleep hygiene or eating high energy foods.  

4. Feeling numbness or tingling in limbs

The high blood sugar levels caused by some early warning signs of diabetes can lead to a tingling or numb sensation in certain parts of your body.

While this early warning sign of diabetes may start in the hands, it can often spread to the feet as well. The direct cause is not yet known, but it’s believed to be a result of unregulated high blood sugar thinning out the walls of the blood cells, which bring oxygen to the nerves.

If this goes untreated for too long, it can lead to more serious nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy. However, taking the right medication prescribed by your doctor and maintaining your target blood sugar levels can help to manage this early warning sign of diabetes.

5. Feeling hungry all the time

Feeling hungry all the time is another common first sign of diabetes, which is a result of diabetes’ impact on insulin production.

The body converts the food we eat into energy by turning it into glucose, which is then used by cells to keep us energised. However, as mentioned previously, cells require insulin to absorb glucose, which is an issue for people with diabetes.

As a result, the body is left with no energy, leading you to feel more hungry than usual. It’s best to eat a balanced and healthy diet to ward off these hunger pangs and switch starchy carbs for wholegrain carbs, like brown pasta or wholegrain bread, as these have a slower effect on blood glucose levels.

6. Experiencing blurry vision

While you may not immediately recognise it as one of the first signs of diabetes, blurry vision is a common symptom of diabetes, which can also cause headaches and fatigue.

To quickly explain, this early warning sign of diabetes is a result of a build-up of glucose in the blood. As the body doesn’t have enough insulin to process the glucose, it can lead to slight changes in your eye lens shape, causing blurry vision.

However, your vision will typically go back to normal once the blood sugar levels stabilise. You can help manage this early sign of diabetes by protecting your eyes as much as possible. For example, wear sunglasses to avoid damage from UV rays and keep on top of your blood sugar levels.

7. Experiencing skin issues

You may also notice changes to your skin as an early warning sign of diabetes.

For example, you might develop darker spots of skin on your shins, which is known as diabetic dermopathy. Additionally, you may get dark rings of velvety skin around your neck, armpit, or groin, which is called acanthosis nigricans.

Furthermore, you may notice cuts and wounds take longer to heal, don’t heal as well, or don’t heal at all. That’s because uncontrolled diabetes causes blood to move slower, which makes it harder for your body to get oxygen and nutrients to wounds.

If you are experiencing these early warning signs of diabetes, caring for your skin is important. Try to stay on top of cleansing, moisturising, and properly treating wounds to give your body the best chance to heal. If a wound hasn't healed after four weeks, then you should get advice from a GP.

8. Experiencing low mental health and mood swings

Experiencing these early warning signs of diabetes can take its toll on mental health. For example, you may notice an increase in mood swings, anxiety, or even depression as a result.

In fact, studies show that extreme fluctuations in blood sugar levels is associated with lower quality of life and negative moods, with those people experiencing higher anxiety and more anger.

As such, you can look to regulate your mood by keeping on top of your blood sugar levels, as well as taking care of your mental health.

9. Experiencing recurring UTIs or yeast infections

While anyone can get a urinary tract infection (UTI), those with diabetes are more susceptible, with regular UTIs and yeast infections being one of the first signs of diabetes.

As with the other early warning signs of diabetes, these infections are caused by high blood sugar levels. When extra sugar is stored in the body, it makes it easier for the natural yeast we have in our system to stick to skin cells and mucus glands. In turn, yeast is able to reproduce at an unhealthy rate, leading to repeated cases of UTIs or yeast infections.

While this may be irritating and painful, both of these conditions are completely treatable. Just speak to your healthcare practitioner about a suitable treatment plan.

10. Losing weight without trying

And lastly, you may notice you are losing weight faster than usual, often without trying. This is another early warning sign of diabetes.

For those with diabetes, the natural process of turning sugar into energy is slower, so the body has to find alternative ways of staying energised. To do this, your body will begin burning fat and muscle as an alternate source of energy, which can lead to weight loss.

As such, it’s even more important to maintain a healthy and balanced diet, if you’re experiencing this first sign of diabetes. That’s because a balanced diet can help control blood sugar levels, maintain a stable and healthy weight, and help manage high blood pressure.

What to do if I suspect I have diabetes?

You should visit a GP if you suspect you have diabetes, not only to alleviate stress but also to receive a clear diagnosis and treatment plan.

In the meantime, try to eat a healthy and balanced diet, practice good sleep hygiene, and stay hydrated to help alleviate any painful first signs of diabetes. You can also read our blog on what you need to know about diabetes for more information on the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as different treatment plans.

Can I test for diabetes at home?

If you’ve noticed a few of the early warning signs of diabetes within yourself or your child, it may be tempting to try to test for it at home and cut out the wait for a GP.

However, you cannot check if you have diabetes at home accurately. While at home tests are available, only a medical professional can properly check for and diagnose diabetes. You will need to see GP first who can get a diabetes test arranged for you.  

To test for undiagnosed diabetes, you will have your blood taken to test your blood sugar levels. If these tests show you are at a high risk of developing diabetes (pre-diabetes) or that you have diabetes, the practitioner will then look at additional factors. This includes your weight, any family history of diabetes, as well as how quickly the symptoms started to assess the right diagnosis and treatment for you.

If you’re looking for more guidance on how to deal with the early warning signs of diabetes, in particular the mental health symptoms, head over to our Be Healthy hub for advice on what foods help reduce anxiety and 10 ways to deal with depression.

Alternatively, as a member of Benenden Health, you can get access to 24/7 GP Helpline from day one and book an appointment for a telephone or video consultation with a UK-based GP for you or your immediate family anytime.

Medically reviewed by Cheryl Lythgoe in July 2024.