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High Blood Sugar Risks

Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, a form of sugar in our blood that is our main source of energy. Insulin is produced by the pancreas to help move blood sugar from the bloodstream into cells, but sometimes the pancreas does not make enough insulin. This increases the amount of sugar in the bloodstream, which can damage nerves and blood vessels, leading to major health risks.

  1. Pregnancy Risks

    • If you're pregnant and your blood sugar is high, you are putting both your baby and yourself in danger. You can get more urinary tract and yeast infections, your blood pressure can rise and you might have a large baby that must be delivered by C-section. Your newborn baby may have jaundice, trouble breathing and low blood sugar.

    Heart Disease

    • High blood sugar levels raise your risk for heart disease. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are more likely to develop if your blood sugar is high, and they can cause blockages in your arteries from fatty deposits, narrowed arteries or hardened arteries that prevent your heart from getting the nutrients and oxygen it needs. According to the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, between 1992 and 2004, non-diabetics with higher than normal blood sugar levels were twice as likely to develop heart disease.

    Vision Problems

    • When high blood sugar damages your blood vessels, the vessels in your eyes can close off. Weaker blood vessels form to replace the damaged ones, but they block vision by leaking blood. This causes scar tissue to build up that pulls your retina out of shape.

    Cancer Risk

    • Women with high blood sugar are more likely to develop cancer. A 13-year study in Sweden linked higher blood sugar with an increase in pancreas, skin and urinary tract cancer. The study showed that women with the highest blood sugar levels were 26% more likely to develop cancer.

    Nerve Damage

    • High blood sugar damages your nerves. According to the National Institute of Health, neuropathy occurs in 60 to 70 percent of diabetics, and it is more common in those who have high blood sugar. Nerve problems can develop in every organ system in your body. When your nerves are damaged, they cannot send messages to the brain or receive communication from the brain in return.

    Kidney Failure

    • High blood sugar causes blood vessels in your kidneys to leak. These damaged blood vessels collapse, and the ones that are left to remove waste from your body become damaged from working too hard. Your kidneys can stop working, and then you may need a kidney transplant or the use of a dialysis machine to remove toxins from your body.

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