'I have diabetes and the warning signs were sneaky - my first symptoms struck during the night'

Identifying the condition in its early stages can help prevent it from progressing to a full diagnosis, making it crucial to spot the warning signs.

Taking to TikTok, Mattah Parker recently alerted her followers to the early type 1 diabetes symptoms that rang alarm bells.

“Here are some signs and symptoms that I expressed to my doctor that led them to diagnose me,” she said.

She highlighted frequent urination, noting "if you wake up multiple times throughout the middle of the night to use the bathroom" or need to urinate "every thirty minutes".

Other warning signs included constant thirst, food cravings, rapid weight loss and vision changes.

She also mentioned extreme fatigue, brain fog and slow-healing wounds as indicators.

“No one ever told me how sneaky the signs were or what to even look for,” she mentioned.

WebMD explains the science behind frequent urination in diabetes patients.

"When there's too much sugar in your blood, which happens if you have diabetes, your kidneys have to work harder to get rid of it," the health website stated.

"This forced them to make more urine. The process doesn't stop just because you're snoozing."

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However, experts note that frequent night-time urination can have multiple causes beyond diabetes.

Other reasons include hormonal changes, which lead the body to produce less of a hormone that limits the amount of urine made at night.

“Whether it’s water or drinks with caffeine or alcohol, too much before bedtime can fill your bladder and wake you up,” added WebMD.

Fluids containing caffeine or alcohol are often found responsible for increasing bathroom visits during the night.