DIABETES affects millions of Brits and causes abnormally high blood sugar levels.
But many don’t know it, as symptoms can be subtle.
An unusual sign of diabetes can pop up in moments of intimacy with your partner
Type 2 diabetes – where the body doesn’t produce enough blood sugar-regulating insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin properly – is far more common in the UK, affecting over 90 per cent of diabetes sufferers.
But many remain undiagnosed for years, according to the NHS.
Aside from the more well-known symptoms of the condition – such as increased thirst, tiredness, weight loss and blurred vision – there are some telltale silent symptoms that could be tip you off to go visit your GP.
One of them you can even spot while you’re having sex.
1. Sexual dysfunction
For many men with type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction can be an upsetting but common symptom.
High blood sugar levels can damage the nerves and blood vessels that carry blood to the penis, making it difficult to achieve an erection during sex.
But sexual dysfunction can also occur in women, resulting in low arousal and poor lubrication.
However, Healthline notes that sexual difficulties experienced by women diabetics are less well studied.
2. Darker skin on the neck
If you’re developing dark patches on your skin, particularly on your neck, this could be a warning sign that you have diabetes.
The patches might be large or only noticeable in the creases of skin. The skin around your neck might also feel velvety or thicker.
You might also notice patches in your armpits or groin – the condition is called acanthosis nigricans.
It more common for people with type 2 diabetes and darker complexions to experience these patches, caused by high levels of insulin in the bloodstream making skin cells to reproduce faster than normal.
3. Recurrent infections
Having diabetes can also weaken your immune system, as having too much sugar in the blood can mean white blood cells that fight infections have difficulty travelling down the bloodstream.
This can make you more susceptible to illnesses.
You may frequently experience:
vaginal infectionsyeast infectionsbladder infectionsskin infections
4. Irritability
Are you suddenly more moody and irritable?
Changes to changes in your mood can be another sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
Diabetes that isn’t treated can trigger rapid shifts in blood sugar, which can in turn rapidly shift your mood.
5. Fruity smelling breath
Having fruity smelling breath is another lesser known sign of the disease.
Known as diabetic ketoacidosis, it happens when your body is unable to use insulin for energy and breaks down your fat cells for energy.
This process produces an acid known as ketones and also gives you fruity breath.
The NHS describes the “fruity” breath as smelling like pear drop sweets, or nail varnish.
6. Pain in your limbs
When high sugar levels cause nerve damage, you may develop complications like pain or cramps.
This pain can occur in the legs or feet, or you may have a tingling or burning sensation or numbness in your limbs.
Common diabetes signs and when to see a GP
You should visit a GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:
feeling very thirsty
peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
feeling very tired
weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
blurred vision
Type 1 diabetes can develop very quickly over weeks or days and it’s more common that it will cause weight loss than type 2.
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general, or there are no symptoms at all.