When you eat, your body breaks food down into glucose (sugar) and sends it into the bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps move the glucose from the blood into the cells to be used for energy. Your body usually makes just the right amount of insulin to match the food you eat. ​

When your body does not use insulin properly, it is called insulin resistance. At first, the beta cells make extra insulin to make up for it. But, over time your pancreas isn’t able to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels.

When blood glucose levels are higher than normal it is called high blood glucose (hyperglycemia). If your blood glucose gets too high, you will be diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes.