Guide
Type 2 Diabetes Basics: What It Is, Who Is at Risk and Who Treats It
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type: blood glucose runs too high because the body does not make enough insulin or does not use it well. Risk rises with age 45 or older, family history, extra weight and low activity. It is found by blood tests and managed by a care team. A supplement is not a treatment.
Written by the SugarReset label deskUpdated
What it is01
What is type 2 diabetes?
A long-term condition in which glucose in the blood stays higher than it should be.
The NIDDK describes type 2 as the most common type of diabetes. It develops when the body does not make enough insulin or does not use it well (NIDDK, Type 2 Diabetes). Insulin is the hormone that lets glucose move from the blood into cells. When it does not work well enough, glucose builds up. Over years, high glucose can harm the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.
Type 1 is different: the body makes little or no insulin, and people with it depend on insulin from the start (MedlinePlus, Diabetes Medicines). This guide is about type 2, which most adults with diabetes have.
Risk02
Who is at risk?
Several factors raise the chance, and some cannot be changed.
| Factor | Can you change it? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age 45 or older | No | NIDDK (NIDDK, Type 2 Diabetes) |
| A parent, brother or sister with type 2 | No | NIDDK (NIDDK, Type 2 Diabetes) |
| Overweight or obesity | Often, with care | CDC (CDC, About Type 2 Diabetes) |
| Little physical activity | Yes | CDC (CDC, About Type 2 Diabetes) |
| Prediabetes or past gestational diabetes | Partly | NIDDK (NIDDK, Type 2 Diabetes) |
| High blood pressure | Often, with treatment | NIDDK (NIDDK, Type 2 Diabetes) |
Having a risk factor does not mean you will get diabetes, and having none does not mean you cannot. A test is the only way to know.
Signs03
What are the signs?
Often none for years. When they appear they include more thirst, more urination, tiredness and blurred vision.
The CDC says symptoms of type 2 often develop slowly over several years and can go unnoticed (CDC, About Type 2 Diabetes). That is why screening matters. When signs do appear, they include increased thirst and urination, feeling tired, blurred vision, slow-healing sores and numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. Many people have only some of them.
New, strong thirst, frequent urination or blurred vision is a reason to get tested, not to try a supplement.
Tests04
How is it found?
By blood tests, such as the A1C, a fasting glucose or a glucose tolerance test, ordered by a clinician.
The A1C test shows average glucose over about three months and needs no fasting. An A1C below 5.7 percent is normal, 5.7 to 6.4 percent is prediabetes and 6.5 percent or higher is diabetes, and a diagnosis needs a second test unless there are clear symptoms (NIDDK, The A1C Test and Diabetes). Our guide on A1C and blood sugar numbers explains the ranges and what they do and do not say.
Home meters and sensors show glucose at a moment, and they do not diagnose by themselves.
Care05
Who treats it, and how?
A care team, usually a primary clinician with a pharmacist, a dietitian and sometimes an eye doctor, a foot doctor and a diabetes educator.
Treatment often combines food choices, activity, regular testing and, when needed, medicine. Medicines include pills and injectables, and insulin, and a prescriber picks them by your tests, health and other medicines (MedlinePlus, Diabetes Medicines). Plans change over time, so regular check-ups matter.
A supplement is not on that list. The NIH says that for most supplements the evidence in diabetes is too limited for clear conclusions, and that people should talk to their provider before using one (NCCIH, Diabetes and Dietary Supplements).
Prediabetes06
What is prediabetes, and does it always become diabetes?
Prediabetes means glucose is higher than normal but not yet in the diabetes range. It does not always become type 2.
An A1C of 5.7 to 6.4 percent falls in this band (NIDDK, The A1C Test and Diabetes). The CDC lists prediabetes as a risk factor for type 2 (CDC, About Type 2 Diabetes), and many people with it can lower their risk with steady changes in food and activity, guided by a clinician. Some programs are designed for this, and a clinician can refer you.
Prediabetes is a good reason for a conversation, not for an unproven product. If you have it, tell your clinician about any supplement you are thinking of taking.
SugarReset: 60 ml dropper bottle, 60 servingsPacks of 2, 3 or 6 bottles · live total shown at checkout · 60-day guarantee per the sales page
See packsMyths07
What common myths should you set aside?
A few ideas keep coming back, and they cause trouble.
- Eating sugar alone causes type 2: risk comes from many factors, including family history and weight.
- If you feel fine you are fine: symptoms can be absent for years.
- A natural product is safe with medicine: natural does not mean free of interactions.
- One good reading means you can stop treatment: never stop a medicine without your prescriber.
- A supplement can reset the body: no source we read shows that any supplement replaces care.
A clinician who knows your history is the best check on any of these.
Emergencies08
What are the emergency signs?
Very low glucose and very high glucose can both be emergencies.
- Very low: confusion, fainting, a seizure or being unable to wake. Call 911 (NIDDK, Low Blood Glucose).
- Very high with illness: fruity breath, nausea and vomiting, deep fast breathing, stomach pain, extreme thirst. This may be ketoacidosis. Seek urgent care (MedlinePlus, Diabetic Ketoacidosis).
- Chest pain, trouble breathing or a swollen face: call 911.
See low blood sugar warning signs for the details of a low.
Supplements09
Where do supplements fit?
They are not a treatment, and they must not replace one.
Some supplements, such as chromium, have been studied in people with type 2, with small and varied results (Asbaghi et al. 2020). Those studies were of other products at other doses, and none tested SugarReset. If you take diabetes medicine, a supplement that acts on glucose may add to the medicine and cause a low. That is why every page of this site says to ask a prescriber or pharmacist first.
Read supplements and diabetes medicine for the questions to ask.
What you can do10
What can you do if you are worried?
Get tested, keep appointments and make small, steady changes.
Ask for a test
A simple blood test can show where you are.
Know your numbers
Write down your A1C, blood pressure and weight.
Move more
Even short walks add up, and the CDC lists low activity as a risk (CDC, About Type 2 Diabetes).
Eat steadily
A dietitian can help build a plan you can keep.
Ask before you add a supplement
Bring the label to a pharmacist.
Our guide on everyday habits has more.
FAQ11
SugarReset questions people ask
What is type 2 diabetes?
A long-term condition in which glucose stays too high because the body does not make enough insulin or does not use it well.
Can a supplement treat type 2 diabetes?
No supplement has been shown to replace diabetes care. Ask your care team.
How do I know if I have it?
Only a blood test can tell. See a clinician.
Is SugarReset for type 2 diabetes?
The label names no condition, and we make no claim that it helps with one.
Who wrote this12
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label images, seller information and linked NIH, FDA, CDC, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is the information site for a U.S. authorized retailer of SugarReset. It is not the manufacturer or the distributor named on the label. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
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