Are you too sweet?

Are you too sweet?

As women enter perimenopause and menopause, some are just too sweet. More specifically, I mean that their blood is too sweet because it contains high levels of glucose (sugar). This is known as glucose intolerance, and people who are in this situation typically have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

How does this happen? Women in menopause can develop glucose intolerance as their declining estrogen levels cause them to become less sensitive to the hormone insulin. This hormone, which is produced by the pancreas, helps transport glucose from the bloodstream into the body’s cells, where it is used for energy. When insulin is unable to do this adequately, too much sugar remains in the bloodstream and women can develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Some of the signs and symptoms of glucose intolerance may include feeling very thirsty, blurry vision, drowsiness, dry mouth, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, and the need to urinate often. These symptoms may indicate other health conditions as well, so be sure to check with your doctor and have your blood sugar levels checked to see if you are really glucose intolerant and how extensive it may be. All it takes is a simple blood test.

There are other things you may notice if you have glucose intolerance. Women tend to accumulate belly fat, have more hot flashes, experience more anxiety and mood swings, and have a greater risk of urinary tract infections. All of these things just because you’re too sweet! Is there anything you can do to help prevent or reverse glucose intolerance? Yes, and I will talk about them in my next few posts. So be sure to come back!