Study: Restoring normal blood sugar in people with prediabetes reduces cardiovascular disease risk by 58%

A new international study, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, has found that restoring blood sugar levels to normal in people with prediabetes significantly reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases—by as much as 58%.

The research was conducted by scientists from King’s College London, based on an analysis of long-term follow-up data spanning several decades from the U.S. DPPOS study and the Chinese DaQing-DPOS study.

Prediabetes is defined as elevated blood glucose levels that do not yet reach the threshold for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

The study’s findings confirm that achieving what researchers refer to as “prediabetes remission”—that is, returning blood sugar to normal levels—is associated with a sustained protective effect on the heart.

Researchers found that individuals who successfully normalized their blood glucose experienced a 58% reduction in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease or hospitalization for heart failure. In addition, their risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other major cardiovascular events decreased by 42%.

The study also noted that this cardioprotective effect persisted for decades. The authors emphasized that weight loss or increased physical activity alone is not sufficient to ensure a long-term reduction in cardiovascular risk unless blood glucose levels are properly controlled and restored to normal.