RELATED: If You Notice This in the Bathroom, Get Checked for Diabetes, Experts Say. According to a 2006 study which took place in Germany, diabetes may affect your eyebrow color as you age—specifically, it may delay their graying. The research team gathered a group of 100 male subjects with gray hair—50 of whom had gray eyebrows and another 50 who did not—and compared the rates of diabetes in both groups. Among the men with unchanged eyebrows, 76 percent had diabetes, while just 18 percent of the gray-browed cohort had a blood sugar imbalance. “Diabetes may cause a delay or inhibition of graying in the eyebrow hair follicles,” Uwe Wollina, M.D., Ph.D., the lead study author, told Men’s Health at the time of the study’s release.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb While the exact cause for this theorized delay is unknown and more research is needed to confirm the study’s results, this is not the only way that diabetes can affect your hair follicles. Researchers have also found that those with diabetes are also more likely to experience alopecia areata, which manifests in patches of hair loss. RELATED: If You Notice This on Your Legs, Get Checked for Diabetes Now, Experts Say. While eyebrow color may be linked to diabetes, there are some symptoms that are considered much more common—and are therefore more likely to lead to diagnosis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these symptoms may include a frequent need to urinate, abnormal thirst or hunger, unintentional weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue, skin changes, slow healing sores on the legs or feet, and frequently recurring infections such as yeast infections. Speak with your doctor if you notice these or any other signs of a blood sugar imbalance. Knowing whether you’re at high risk may also help you identify a problem sooner. As the Mayo Clinic explains, you may be at increased risk for type 2 diabetes if you are overweight, inactive, or have a family history of diabetes. Your risk also increases with age, and you’re more likely to develop diabetes if you are Black, Asian American, Hispanic, or Native American, the Clinic says. Having a personal history of certain conditions can also increase your chances of developing a blood sugar imbalance. These include having developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy, having polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), having high blood pressure, and having abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. For more health news sent directly to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s essential to manage your blood sugar levels by keeping them within the target range. According to the CDC, this is the best way to “prevent or delay long-term, serious health problems [associated with diabetes], such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.” To do so, the health authority suggests tracking your blood sugar levels and noting what makes them spike or fall. Eating controlled portions of healthy meals at regular times of day and choosing foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt, can help you maintain a healthy weight and stabilize your glucose levels. Get regular exercise, limit your alcohol intake, and replace juice and soda with water, the CDC further advises. And, if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes but suspect that you may have symptoms, speak with your doctor immediately. A simple blood test can help you reach a diagnosis and take charge of your health. RELATED: If You See This on Your Nails, It Could Be a Tell-Tale Sign of Diabetes.
