A number of doctors are warning of a skin condition that could signal your diet may be too high in sugar, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
According to the 2024 National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2021 data found that 38.4 million Americans of all ages had diabetes, with 90 to 95 percent of them having type 2.An additional 8.7 million adults aged 18 years or older met the criteria for diabetes but were either unaware or did not self-report having it.
Type 2 diabetes is a common disease that occurs when “the body cannot use insulin correctly and sugar builds up in the blood,” per the Mayo Clinic.
However, “high insulin usually doesn’t cause symptoms you can feel right away, and that’s what makes it tricky,” chief medical advisor for Sleepopolis, Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, told Parade.
One major, yet often overlooked, sign that your body is struggling with high glucose levels is the development of acanthosis nigricans — dark patches on the skin.
These patches are more prone to develop on the skin at the nape of your neck, armpits, groin area, and under the breasts.
While there are other causes of acanthosis nigricans, including genetics and, in rare cases, cancer, increased insulin levels are one of the most common contributors.
“Eating too much sugar raises blood sugar levels, prompting an increase in insulin to bring those levels down,” Dr. Samantha Brand, DipABOM, additionally explained to the publication. “Insulin also activates certain skin cells that have insulin receptors.”
She added: “When insulin levels are persistently high — in those with insulin resistance or prediabetes — it can overstimulate both melanocytes and keratinocytes, leading to increased production of melanin and keratin.
“This results in thick, dark, velvety patches of skin, called acanthosis nigricans.”
It’s important to note that prediabetes, the stage before type 2 diabetes, can often be reversed. If you are worried you might be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, there are several key lifestyle changes you can implement, including regular exercise, cutting back on processed foods, managing stress levels, and losing weight.
Still, if you happen to develop type 2, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle to help manage symptoms and prevent further complications.
Although it’s typically believed that type 2 is also reversible, “remission” is the more accurate term.
“Type 2 diabetes remission is when your long-term blood sugars fall below the diabetes level and stay there for at least three months, without the need for glucose-lowering medication. By bringing your blood sugars into a non-diabetes range long term, the symptoms of diabetes and any new damage it can do to your body are on pause,” Natasha Marsland, senior clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, told the Press Association in 2024.
“Remission doesn’t mean your diabetes has gone away forever, as your blood sugar levels can rise again — and we don’t call it ‘reversing type 2 diabetes’ because remission isn’t a cure for type 2 diabetes. You still need to attend regular check-ups and get the support you need to treat or manage any existing complications.”
