Risk of developing dibetes

Hi;
My mother has been involved in several stress situation. We have lost my dad a month ago. She has been sad but not depressed, only the "normal" sadness. She is now 74 years old. She is not overweight, she weighs in 127 pounds with a height of 1.60 cms. She doesn't have any diabetic history in her family. Our family Dr made some lab tests and she now has a fasting blood glucose of 113. Her cholesterol and blood pressure levels are optimal. Other blood tests are fine also.
What are her risk to develop diabetes? or maybe is just a temporary rise due to high stress levels?
We are waiting today for the results of another test: postprandial glucose test.

Thanks in advance

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hello,

I am sorry about the recent loss of your father. This certainly is a stressful time and can contribute to various changes in health.

In regard to your mother's lab tests, they show signs of glucose handling abnormalities referred to as impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance. They are part of a stage known as prediabetes. Right now the options for your Mom would include changes in dietary and exercise habits to try to bring her levels back to normal (this is usually our first course of action), or starting a drug called Metformin(this is up to your doctor and your mom to decide). It is best to discuss the results at length with her doctor.

Take care.

[Luisitosax]

We have received the postprandial test:

Fasting glucose 111 mg/dl
2 hr postprandial glucose 149 mg/dl
Fasting urine glucose NEGATIVE
2 hr urine glucose NEGATIVE

Any comments?

[Luisitosax]

Dear Dr Ramsey:
Thanks for your kind words and your advice. We have talked with our Dr and he agree with you, he said that my mom is in a stage of prediabetes but in an early stage so he think that with some exercise like waking for 20-30 minutes 3-4 days a week and with some changes in sugar intake (lowering) she can reverse the situation, hope so. Also try to control her stress, which I hope she can with exercise and other lifestyle changes.
I have read some good properties of Cinnamon for high blood glucose, Do you have any experience with this?
Thanks so much

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hello,

I do not infact have much successful experience with cinnamon for high blood glucose. I have read the two main studies which people quote. The notable information about cinnamon is that while it has been shown to have some good effects on glucose metabolism, the studies where it was used involved large amounts--in pills of varying doses. It has not been shown to have harm aside from some posisble liver test elevations when very high doses are used, so keep this in mind too. All in all it is probably something your Mom can try with possibly some good effects.
Take care

[Luisitosax]

Dear Dr Ramsetty:
Thanks for your time and response. We are going to follow your advice, my mom is going to have some extra cinnamon daily and she's been keeping her sugar intake low and she's been exersicing slowly too.
Thanks so much

In two weeks her Dr wants her to take another lab test: hemogblobin glycosylated
We are going to see what happens