{"id":581,"date":"2024-08-23T15:28:05","date_gmt":"2024-08-23T15:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/?p=581"},"modified":"2025-11-14T16:06:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T21:06:16","slug":"preventing-diabetes-complications-semaglutide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/blog\/glp-1\/preventing-diabetes-complications-semaglutide\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Scary Diabetes Complications\u2014and How to Avoid Them"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Close to 15% of American adults have diabetes, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/php\/data-research\/index.html\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>. And every year, doctors diagnose more than 1 million people with the disease. The impact is massive. It\u2019s the eighth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/nchs\/fastats\/diabetes.htm\">CDC<\/a>, and it comes with a number of major complications.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to know what\u2019s at stake. When you\u2019re armed with info about what diabetes does to the body, why it\u2019s so life-altering, and how you may be able to prevent diabetes complications with GLP-1, you\u2019ll be better able to manage the disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What diabetes does to the body<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Diabetes is a disease that affects how your body manages blood sugar. Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, comes from food.&nbsp;A hormone called insulin helps move blood glucose into your cells. Diabetes is when there is dysfunction with this process which causes elevated blood sugar levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn\u2019t make enough insulin because the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin. In type 2 diabetes\u2014which is far more common\u2014the pancreas makes less insulin and your body becomes more resistant to the hormone. 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End custom CSS *\/<\/style>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"loop-item\" data-elementor-id=\"13\" class=\"elementor elementor-13 e-loop-item e-loop-item-939 post-939 cta type-cta status-publish hentry category-glp-1 category-healthy-eating category-weight-loss\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\" data-custom-edit-handle=\"1\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a7d1126 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"a7d1126\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c04910d e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"c04910d\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fb1137 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9fb1137\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tYour Spring Reset Is Here!\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-46d501d elementor-widget-mobile__width-inherit elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"46d501d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Combining a healthy diet with a prescription GLP-1 creates a powerful approach to effective weight loss.<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7047b33 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7047b33\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTake 25% Off Any 3-month Plan using Code: SPRING25 at Checkout\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59b9a6c e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"59b9a6c\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3165b55 elementor-align-left elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"3165b55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/?question=gender\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-check-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M256 8C119.033 8 8 119.033 8 256s111.033 248 248 248 248-111.033 248-248S392.967 8 256 8zm0 48c110.532 0 200 89.451 200 200 0 110.532-89.451 200-200 200-110.532 0-200-89.451-200-200 0-110.532 89.451-200 200-200m140.204 130.267l-22.536-22.718c-4.667-4.705-12.265-4.736-16.97-.068L215.346 303.697l-59.792-60.277c-4.667-4.705-12.265-4.736-16.97-.069l-22.719 22.536c-4.705 4.667-4.736 12.265-.068 16.971l90.781 91.516c4.667 4.705 12.265 4.736 16.97.068l172.589-171.204c4.704-4.668 4.734-12.266.067-16.971z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Take the Quiz<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We often call type 2 diabetes \u2018the silent killer\u2019. People can have it for years and years and remain asymptomatic and not know that they have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But once the symptoms start, she explains, they can be severe because diabetes affects so many organs in the body. Here, some of the most important complications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Heart attack and stroke<br><\/strong>The risk for heart disease is twice as high for people with diabetes, says the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/diabetes\/diabetes-complications\/diabetes-and-your-heart.html\">CDC<\/a>. This is because high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart. And the longer you have diabetes, the higher your risk.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Kidney problems<br><\/strong>Most people don\u2019t give their kidneys much thought, but they\u2019re vital organs. They filter the waste from your blood and also produce important hormones. High blood sugar can damage the kidneys, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/health-information\/diabetes\/overview\/preventing-problems\/diabetic-kidney-disease\">National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)<\/a>. This leads to a condition called diabetic nephropathy, which can cause kidney failure. In fact, roughly 1 out of 3 adults with diabetes have kidney disease too. Some people with diabetes can have such bad kidney disease that they end up on dialysis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vision problems<\/strong><br>Diabetes affects the vessels in our eyes and can lead to something called diabetic retinopathy. Other conditions can include diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma, says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.niddk.nih.gov\/health-information\/diabetes\/overview\/preventing-problems\/diabetic-eye-disease\">NIDDK<\/a>. All together, these conditions are called diabetic eye disease. In early stages, there may be few or no symptoms. But if it gets more severe, it can cause vision disturbances or even blindness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nerve and foot problems<\/strong><br>Too much sugar in the blood can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that feed your nerves, especially in the legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, and pain, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/diabetic-neuropathy\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20371580\">Mayo Clinic<\/a>. If the problem\u2014called diabetic neuropathy\u2014gets worse, you can end up with serious foot complications. It affects nerve endings and can lead to the need for amputations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How GLP-1 can help\u00a0treat diabetes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever since the FDA approved GLP-1 as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, it has helped many Americans manage the disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GLP-1 helps increase insulin, and insulin is what helps regulate blood sugar levels in the body. Also, it rcan educe the risk of stroke and heart attack. In fact, in one <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/nejmoa1607141\">study<\/a> on people with type 2 diabetes in <em>The New England Journal of Medicine<\/em>, researchers found a significantly lower risk of major cardiovascular events, as well as kidney issues, with GLP-1 in some type 2 diabetic patient populations. (Talk to your doctor or chat with a ReflexMD Wellness Advisor if you think GLP-1 might be right for you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The medication helps promote weight loss, and if you\u2019re overweight and have diabetes, it can be really valuable. It sends a signal to your brain that you\u2019ve eaten enough and slows down the speed at which your stomach empties. Result: You feel full faster and for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With knowledge comes power. When you\u2019re aware of the risks and complications that come from diabetes\u2014and the promising medications that can help\u2014you\u2019re in a far better position to improve your health and wellbeing, for now and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you think a weight loss medication like GLP-1 might be right for you, <a href=\"https:\/\/chat2.reflexmd.com\/dchat\/\">chat<\/a> with a ReflexMD Wellness Advisor now or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reflexmd.com\/?question=gender\">take our short quiz<\/a> to see if you qualify.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When blood sugar is out of whack, it does a number on the body\u2019s systems. That\u2019s a big reason why GLP-1 is a game-changer. Here\u2019s what you need to know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":942,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[42],"class_list":["post-581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-glp-1","tag-kidney-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Prevent Diabetes Complications with Semaglutide | ReflexMD<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Unmanaged blood sugar can cause health problems. 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