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Around 115 million Americans have prediabetes, which is characterized by chronically elevated glucose levels and increased levels of fat inside your cells. And while both are higher than normal and increase your risk of a raft of conditions, they're not yet in the "you've-got-diabetes" zone.

If that's you, you want to reverse your prediabetes, because it puts you at risk for full-blown Type 2 diabetes and a cascade of chronic conditions, including blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and amputation of appendages.

Now, if you're lucky enough to know you have prediabetes -- 80% of folks go undiagnosed and untreated -- there's a good chance your doctor put you on metformin. It's Food and Drug Administration-approved for controlling prediabetes in folks younger than 60, with a BMI of 35 and higher and in women with a history of gestational diabetes. (These days, GLP-1s are prescribed to halt prediabetes, too.)

But there's a much more effective and life-protective solution: improving your nutrition and adopting a physical activity plan that gets you at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. When researchers followed more than 1,000 folks for 20 years, they found that those who adopted that healthy lifestyle plan were 20% less likely than metformin-takers to develop Type 2 diabetes and related conditions, including heart and kidney disease, cancer, arthritis and dementia.

If you're at risk and need help bossing yourself around -- "Don't eat that!" "Get to the park now!" -- the gentle, supportive advice offered at 4YOUngevity.com and its coaching program at MyWellSteps.ai can help you succeed.

Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at drmikerealage@gmail.com.

(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.