New Study Reveals Blood Sugar Control Can Cut Heart Disease Deaths in Half for Prediabetes Patients
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If you're among the estimated 98 million Americans living with prediabetes, recent research brings encouraging news: taking control of your blood sugar levels now could dramatically reduce your risk of dying from heart disease later in life.
Groundbreaking Findings on Prediabetes and Heart Health
A landmark study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology has shown that people with prediabetes who successfully return their blood sugar to normal ranges can reduce their risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure by more than 50 percent. This protective effect persists for decades, fundamentally changing how we understand and approach prediabetes management.
The research, led by Dr. Andreas Birkenfeld from King's College London and the University Hospital Tübingen in Germany, combined data from two major intervention studies: the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program and the Chinese Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Study. Together, these studies followed nearly 3,000 participants for up to 30 years after their initial interventions.
How Can I Understand the Prediabetes-Heart Disease Connection?
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are elevated above normal—typically between 100 and 125 mg/dL for fasting blood glucose, but haven't yet reached the threshold for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. While many people focus on prediabetes as a precursor to diabetes, the condition carries its own significant cardiovascular risks.
Even before developing full-blown diabetes, elevated blood sugar levels can stress the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart failure, and premature death. High glucose damages blood vessel linings, promotes inflammation, and contributes to the buildup of arterial plaque, all early steps toward atherosclerosis and heart disease.
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What Is The Power of Blood Sugar Remission?
What makes this new research particularly significant is that it demonstrates a clear target for reducing cardiovascular risk: achieving what researchers call "prediabetes remission," or returning blood sugar levels to the normal range.
The study found that people who achieved remission had a 58 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure, and a 42 percent reduction in risk for heart attack, stroke, and other major cardiovascular events. Remarkably, these benefits lasted for decades after participants normalized their glucose levels.
The magic number appears to be maintaining a fasting blood glucose level at or below 97 mg/dL. This target proved effective regardless of participants' weight, age, or ethnicity.
Why Does This Change Everything?
For years, people with prediabetes have been advised that lifestyle changes—losing weight, exercising more, and eating healthier, would protect them from heart problems. While these interventions remain valuable, previous research showed that lifestyle changes alone don't necessarily reduce heart attacks or mortality in people with prediabetes unless they achieve actual glucose normalization.
This distinction is crucial: it's not just about adopting healthier habits, but about achieving measurable improvements in blood sugar control. Dr. Birkenfeld notes that this finding challenges one of the biggest assumptions in modern preventive medicine and could establish prediabetes remission alongside controlling blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, and quitting smoking as a fourth pillar of cardiovascular disease prevention.
What Does This Mean for Your Heart?
When you lower your blood sugar to normal levels, multiple beneficial changes occur in your body. Insulin resistance decreases, visceral fat around your organs reduces, liver fat diminishes, and your body's insulin production and cellular function improve. These metabolic improvements reduce inflammation and decrease stress on your blood vessels.
The cardiovascular benefits are substantial and long-lasting. Even if weight returns after an intervention period, the protective effects from achieving temporary blood sugar normalization can persist, a phenomenon researchers call the "legacy effect."
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Taking Action: Is It Ever Too Late?
The most important message from this research is that prediabetes is not a "wait and see" diagnosis. It's a critical window of opportunity to prevent both diabetes and heart disease. While the study didn't identify the optimal time to start lowering blood sugar, experts universally agree: don't delay.
Early intervention appears to offer the greatest benefits, but starting at any point can help. If your doctor has expressed concern about your blood sugar levels, now is the time to take action.
What Are Some Practical Steps to Lower Blood Sugar?
Based on decades of research, several evidence-based strategies can help you achieve prediabetes remission.
Lifestyle Modifications You Can Make:
Aim for 5-7 percent weight loss if you're overweight or obese
Engage in regular physical activity, combining aerobic exercise with strength training
Adopt a low-carbohydrate diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats
Limit sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg daily
Reduce or eliminate added sugars and unhealthy fats
Limit alcohol consumption
Medical Support: Work closely with your healthcare team to monitor your progress. In some cases, medication like metformin may be recommended, particularly for those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes or who haven't achieved adequate glucose control through lifestyle changes alone.
What Is The Broader Picture?
The implications of this research extend far beyond individual health outcomes. With prediabetes affecting more than one in three American adults, many of whom are unaware they have the condition, widespread screening and early intervention could prevent countless heart attacks, hospitalizations, and premature deaths.
Current screening recommendations suggest that adults aged 35 and older, or those who are overweight with additional risk factors, should be tested for prediabetes. If diagnosed, annual monitoring for progression to type 2 diabetes is essential.
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Are There Encouraging Aspects?
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of this research is that it demonstrates the remarkable ability of the human body to heal and protect itself when given the right support. Achieving blood sugar normalization isn't just about preventing diabetes, it's about safeguarding your cardiovascular health for decades to come.
As Dr. Birkenfeld emphasizes, prediabetes is a meaningful stage where you can still shift back toward metabolic health. The earlier you normalize your glucose levels, the better your long-term outcomes. This isn't just about adding years to your life; it's about adding life to your years by protecting your heart and overall health.
If you have prediabetes or are at risk, talk to your healthcare provider today about creating a personalized plan to achieve blood sugar remission. Your heart will thank you for decades to come.
Sources
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). "Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes." https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance
AARP. "Why Reversing Prediabetes Could Help Your Heart." December 23, 2025. https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/lowering-blood-sugar-cuts-heart-disease-risk/
King's College London. "Lowering blood sugar cuts heart attack risk in people with prediabetes." December 2024. https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/lowering-blood-sugar-cuts-heart-attack-risk-in-people-with-prediabetes
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. "Prediabetes remission and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality: post-hoc analyses from the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcome study and the DaQing Diabetes Prevention Outcome study." December 2024. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landia/article/PIIS2213-8587(25)00295-5/fulltext
Harvard Health Publishing. "Prediabetes linked to higher risk of cardiovascular problems." November 2023. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/prediabetes-linked-to-higher-risk-of-cardiovascular-problems
WebMD. "Diabetes and Heart Disease: How Diabetes Affects The Heart." https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/heart-blood-disease
StatPearls (NCBI). "Prediabetes." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459332/
