Dr. Rahul Kackar is a Diabetes reversal and Longevity medicine expert having vast experience of over 20 years. After completing his DNB medicine training from Jaslok Hospital Mumbai, he was awarded Board Diploma in Anti-aging medicine, Brussels. He was awarded certification in endocrinology and IV therapy from the American Academy of anti-aging Medicine and also he holds certification in reversing type 2 diabetes and Insulin resistance from the American College of lifestyle medicine. He is an active member of the world society of anti-aging medicine, Institute of functional medicine. 

Symptoms of Diabetes

Dr. Kackar begins, “We can divide the symptoms of diabetes into 2 brackets - those symptoms caused due to increase in sugar (Osmotic symptoms) and those that are a result of diabetes complications. In the first, there are symptoms like feeling thirsty (polydipsia), urinating more (polyuria), feeling hungry more, feeling tired are all osmotic symptoms.”

“Once the diabetes consequences set in, then depending on where the complication is, the symptoms would be according to it. If the nerves are affected then one may see vibration in the hands and feet. If the heart and blood vessels are affected then it can give rise to BP. If the eyes get affected then one can lose vision. The kidney too can get affected. If diabetes has just set in then there is a chance that there may be no symptoms. Only a blood test could then help detect diabetes.”

Dangers of high sugar

Dr Kackar says, “Diabetes type 1 and type 2 are different. Sugar is an osmotic substance meaning it would always draw water. In the body, this water will shift to compartments. Suppose there is high sugar in your blood, then when the blood passes by the eye, it will pull the water from your lens resulting in blurred vision. This doesn’t necessarily mean there is a complication in the eye. It can be reversed.”

“Similarly, due to the influx and efflux within the brain, it can cause irritability and prolonged/delayed reaction. Such non-specific symptoms are associated with diabetes. Such symptoms are a result of osmotic changes. When one notices such signs they need to check their sugar.”

“There are no clear-cut symptoms of diabetes. So it is necessary to check it out by yourself if you think you may have diabetes. Seeing the incidence and prevalence of diabetes in our society, it is important to check and rule it out. High sugar will weaken immunity and give rise to other problems.”

How to diagnose diabetes?

Dr. Kackar explains, “If you notice the above-mentioned symptoms then you can get 2 tests done. One can either take a blood sugar test or glycosylated haemoglobin (hba1c) test. HB stands for haemoglobin and glycosylated means sugar will stick to it. So if in 120 days, sugar is stuck to haemoglobin, then hba1c will give us the average of it."

"If this is above 6.5 then the patient is diabetic. If your fasting sugar is above 126 then you would have to get the hba1c test done. If you have randomly taken a test or done your test after a meal then too you must get the hba1c test. If once you see high numbers in your fasting test or others, you must generally repeat the test after a few days. If the numbers remain high then go for an hba1c test. This test is more confirmatory as it gives the average of sugar in our body in the last 3 to 4 months."

Risk factors that increase the likelihood of diabetes

Dr. Kackar mentions, “It is very important to understand the cause of diabetes. The baseline of diabetes is chronic inflammation. If your body is not in harmony then the first reaction is inflammation. For instance, infection, injury, or other factors challenge your body's harmony. For such acute cases, inflammation is a lifesaving reaction."

"But if this thing is continuously activated then it is called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation in blood vessels will turn into blood pressure. If it affects the pancreas then it will cause diabetes. If it affects the joints then it will cause arthritis. So chronic inflammation is the base cause."

"Chronic inflammation can be caused by a sedentary lifestyle where there is no activity or exercise. Chronic stress, emotional distress, loneliness, depression too can cause inflammation. Diet too affects inflammation. Having high protein, high fat and refined carbs in your diet will cause chronic inflammation. Your microbiomes, intestine health, and rise in bad bacteria will again rise inflammation."

"In diabetes, there is type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is genetics-related and type 2 is caused by insulin resistance. Every human has both good and bad genes. Now based on how your lifestyle is and the way your environment leads to the decision of whether your good genes will come forward or the bad ones. This is why it is not necessary that if one is predisposed to diabetes, they will get it. This is called epigenetic. Which means you have a loaded gun and which way it will fire depends on you."

"Another risk causing element is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress or free radicals need you to eat antioxidant foods. Here, the logic is that whatever you eat, food gets broken down. After this, the mitochondria turn this into energy. This energy is an electron that sticks itself to oxygen. This is how energy gets supplied throughout our bodies. Electrons always move in pairs. When the pair breaks down it becomes free radicals. They are not in the habit of living alone and hence would try to pair up. It damages the place from which it pairs ups. This is called oxidative stress or oxidative damage."

"If this pairing happens in the pancreas then it causes diabetes. If it happens in the blood vessels then it gives rise to BP. If it happens in the brain then it gives rise to dementia. If it occurs in the joints, then it causes arthritis. If it gets from the protein then it causes autoimmune diseases. Oxidative stress increases by sitting, by eating bad food, and by staying lonely."

(Edited by Priyal Shah)