Prevention IS better than cure! And that’s where this simple diabetes test comes in
Because
diabetes is such a prevalent condition, we believe everyone,
no matter what their risk level, should have their doctor do a
glucose-insulin tolerance test (GITT). It measures how well your body is able to break down glucose, or sugar.
And the great thing about it is that it can tell you whether you’re likely to develop
type II diabetes as much as two decades in advance. That means you have you plenty of time to “turn it around” and prevent it from occurring!
Here’s what the test involves.
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The GITT: Everything you need to know
To perform this test, your doctor will ask you to fast for eight hours (usually overnight).
When you arrive at his office, he’ll draw blood and measure the glucose levels in the sample.
Next, he’ll give you a specific amount of a sugar solution to drink.
From here, you’ll undergo two to three tests over the next few hours to see how well your body handles glucose.
For each test, your doctor will draw more blood and run the same glucose levels tests on them. He’ll also compare it to your fasting blood sugar baseline from the first sample.
It’s that simple. By taking several samples of your blood as your body processes the sugary drink, your doctor will be able to deduce how quickly your body can process sugar.
If, after analysing your results, your doctor finds you have higher-than-normal levels of glucose, it could indicate that you have prediabetes.
If this is the case, you can take steps to correct this before it turns into a full blown problem. Simple things like changes in your diet, exercise and taking supplements can all normalise your test results and get you out of harm’s way.
That’s why it’s important your results are accurate when you get them back. And that’s where the following GITT preparation steps come in.
Going for a glucose test? Here’s what you need to prepare
Here are some things you need to do to prepare for your glucose-insulin tolerance test says www.healthline.com:
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Continue to eat normally. Don’t make any changes to your diet in the days leading up to your GITT.
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Tell your doctor about any medication you’re on. Drugs like beta-blockers and antidepressants can interfere with your results. Your doctor will need to take this into account when he analyses your test.
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Although you need to fast for eight hours before the test, you can still drink. But make sure it’s only water. Other beverages can interfere with the results.
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Don’t go to the loo before the procedure. Your doctor may need a urine sample from you at the onset of the test.
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Make sure you’re healthy. If you’re sick (even if it’s just a cold), it could change your results.
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If you’re a smoker, don’t have your morning smoke! Anything you add to your blood stream can influence the GITT’s outcome.
PS: Worried cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's are in your genes?
Over the past 25 years, SA’s leading
anti-ageing specialist, Dr Craige Golding, has defied science and successfully treated over 20,000 patients who thought the same.
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