(HealthDay News) -- Diabetes occurs when your blood sugar rises too high because your body doesn't produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the insulin doesn't work correctly.

Insulin, made by the pancreas, helps body cells absorb sugars from food.

Here are some common warning signs of diabetes, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• Excessive thirst and urination.
• Feeling very hungry frequently.
• Feeling very tired.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Frequent infections, or wounds that don't heal.
• Blurred vision.
• Numbness or tingling in hands and feet.
• Dry, itchy skin.

If you have any of these symptoms, visit your doctor to be tested for diabetes, especially if you are 45 or older.