Jakarta – High blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia is a condition where there is too much sugar in the blood so that the body does not produce enough insulin.
If blood sugar is too high and left for a long time, it can cause serious health problems. The consequences of high blood sugar levels can be felt by anyone, whether they have prediabetes, diabetes, or those who don’t.
Quoted from the page Mayo Clinic, normal blood sugar levels are less than 100 mg/dL. If the blood sugar level is at 100-125 mg/dL, it means that you are in prediabetes, while 126 mg/dL and above is classified as diabetes.
Those with a history of diabetes or not, should be more vigilant and routinely check their blood sugar levels to keep them under control.
If you ignore blood sugar checks and are left too high, it can trigger diseases and health problems such as the following.
1. Headache
Pain usually appears when blood sugar has reached more than 126 mg/dL. This condition usually progresses slowly.
When there is hyperglycemia, hormones in the body also experience changes and narrow blood vessels in the brain, resulting in headaches.
2. Kidney disease
Hyperglycemia also has the potential to damage the main function of the kidneys so that it can cause chronic kidney disease.
An increase in the amount of blood sugar in the body can trigger the kidneys to work harder to balance fluids and remove residual toxins in the body.
3. Improve depression
The more you consume foods and drinks high in sugar, the more likely your blood sugar will increase.
When the body experiences hyperglycemia, the hormones in it also experience changes which impact on the risk of inflammation, mood getting worse, insomnia, and irritability.
4. Cognitive function decreases
According to the results of a study in the Diabetologia journal, it noted the relationship between high blood sugar levels and decreased cognitive function.
The study analyzed more than 5,000 people over 10 years. As a result, people with hyperglycemia had the fastest cognitive decline than those with hypoglycemia.
5. Impotence in men
As a result of high blood sugar levels are at risk of impotence in men. Namely the condition of the penis that can not even be unable to maintain an erection.
Sugar affects the circulatory system and controls blood flow throughout the body. Though this blood circulation must work extra for an erection.
6. Disorders of the brain system
Researcher at the Energy Metabolism Laboratory, Tufts University, Ed Saltzman said that consuming sweet foods or drinks triggers a desire to continue eating similar tastes.
This effect will occur in one part of the brain called the limbic system. That way, indirectly you will train your brain to continue to like sweet taste.
7. Tooth and gum infection
Teeth and gums can become infected due to high sugar consumption. Bacteria on the teeth will turn sugar into acid, and if left unchecked can damage tooth enamel.
Sugar can feed yeast growth that can make the corners of your mouth or tongue turn red. This makes the mouth more sensitive to spicy flavors.
8. At risk of heart disease
Hyperglycemia causes obesity, inflammation and high blood pressure. All of this is caused by high sugar intake and raises risk factors for heart disease.
A study of 30,000 people found that those who consumed 17-21 percent of their calories from added sugar had a 38 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease.
9. Premature aging
High blood sugar levels from sweet foods and drinks also have an impact on skin elasticity which can increase premature aging.
Sugar can attach to bloodstream proteins and create harmful molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These molecules damage the skin’s collagen and elastin, causing dullness and wrinkles.
To avoid all the consequences of high blood sugar levels, you must regularly carry out health checks and make sure that your blood sugar is not more than 100 mg/dL. (CNNIndonesia.com)
