The Diabetes Link to Other Diseases

Many people already know that diabetes has been linked to eye problems, feet trouble and other ailments but there are new studies showing that diabetes has links to many different diseases. For example, those with type 2 diabetes are 32 percent more likely to develop colon cancer. Excess insulin, entering the colon, is said to be the culprit.

Risk factors for colon cancer and for diabetes include being overweight and not being very active. That’s not to say that those with diabetes are overweight and inactive or that those who have weight problems will become diabetic, but the chances increase as a person puts on weight and becomes inactive.

People with diabetes also have a higher risk of losing their hearing. The type of hearing loss attributed to diabetes is the same as that attributed to older persons. Many people have some hearing loss as they pass the age of 60 but with diabetes as a factor, the hearing loss hits at an earlier age in some patients.

Someone who has diabetes is at risk for many different ailments. One of these is Alzheimer’s disease. The chances of developing Alzheimer’s increases by 65% if the person also has diabetes. Certain traits of Alzheimer’s progress more rapidly than others in a diabetes patient. Memory loss is not as prevalent with diabetes and Alzheimer’s as is speed of perception, for instance. Heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, cancer of the pancreas, and other types of cancer are now linked to diabetes.

Some of the warning signs of diabetes are severe thirst, frequent urination, excessive hunger, weight loss, fatigue, and blurry vision. Some risk factors are weight, genetics, diet and inactivity. Diabetes strikes Americans, African-Americans, Latinos and Asians most frequently.

It’s important to have blood glucose levels checked yearly, particularly if you have a relative with diabetes or are at higher risk because of weight or dietary issues. If blood glucose levels are high, indicating the possible onset of diabetes, a physician can help you make changes in your life that may prevent the onset of full-blown diabetes.