10 Surprising Causes Of Blood Sugar Swings You Probably Didn’t Know
1 / 11 What Causes Blood Sugar to Rise and Fall? Whether you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or have been living with the disease for several years, you know how fickle blood sugar levels can be, and how important it is that they stay controlled. Proper blood sugar control is key for helping ward off potential diabetes complications, such as kidney disease, nerve damage, vision problems, stroke, and heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you keep your levels in check on a daily basis, it will help you stay energized, focused, and in a good mood. You’ll know if your diabetes is poorly controlled if you experience symptoms such as frequent urination, sores that won’t heal, blurred vision, and unexplained weight loss. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), proper medication, effective meal planning, regular exercise, and use of a blood glucose meter to track your numbers routinely can all help you keep your levels within a healthy range. The ADA recommends blood glucose be 80 to 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before meals, and below 180 mg/dL two hours after the start of a meal. Furthermore, the organization recommends getting an A1C test, which measures your average blood glucose over the past two to three months, at least twice per year if your levels are stable and you are meeting treatment goals. Learning how different habits can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate can help you better predict how your levels will swing. You may be more likely to experience hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar if you have advanced-stage diabetes, according to the ADA. Meanwhile, high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, may be caused by factors such as not using enough insulin or other diabetes medication, not following a prop Continue reading >>
Diabetes Mellitus (dm)
Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which blood sugar (glucose) levels are abnormally high because the body does not produce enough insulin to meet its needs. Urination and thirst are increased, and people lose weight when they are not trying to. Diabetes damages blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and vision loss. People with diabetes need to follow a healthy diet that is low in refined carbohydrates (including sugar), saturated fat, and processed foods. They also need to exercise and usually take drugs to lower blood sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the amount of sugar in the blood is elevated. Doctors often use the full name diabetes mellitus, rather than diabetes alone, to distinguish this disorder from diabetes insipidus. Diabetes insipidus is a relatively rare disorder that does not affect blood glucose levels but, just like diabetes mellitus, also causes increased urination. Continue reading >>
Stress-induced Hormone Imbalances Go Far Beyond Insulin In Diabetes
Stress-Induced Hormone Imbalances Go Far Beyond Insulin in Diabetes virtually anything from the stress of a long checkout line to the first signs of menopause can trigger hormone imbalances, which reveal themselves through mood swings, fatigue, migraines, memory problems, and a lackluster sex drive. Imbalances of the hormone insulin–produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar levels–are at the root of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. For type 1s, insulin levels are low because antibodies destroy the cells that produce it, while for type 2s, cells produce insulin but the body fails to use it properly, so it isn’t able to help keep blood sugar in check. And through insulin and other blood sugar-related hormones such as glucagon, which raises blood sugar levels and works with insulin to keep them stable, and GLP-1 and amylin, which work in tandem to boost insulin production, are the most common hormones associated with diabetes, the complexity of the disease means it impacts many other hormones, as well. “GLP-1 and amylin, those obviously play a role in the development of diabetes,” said Dr. David Bradley, who specializes in diabetes and metabolism at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Those initial imbalances, though, have a domino effect of sorts, setting off other hormonal imbalances from stress hormones to sex hormones including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, making the complications of diabetes that much more far reaching. The Toll on Women And despite the risk of erectile dysfunction in men, women may ultimately be impacted more severely by diabetes-related hormonal fluctuations, experts say. According to Bradley, hormonal imbalances in women–such as increased levels of male hormones and elevated blood sugar levels caused by in Continue reading >>
Diabetes During Pregnancy
What is diabetes? Diabetes is a condition in which the body can't make enough insulin, or can't use insulin normally. Insulin is a hormone. It helps sugar (glucose) in the blood get into cells of the body to be used as fuel. When glucose can’t enter the cells, it builds up in the blood. This is called high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). High blood sugar can cause problems all over the body. It can damage blood vessels and nerves. It can harm the eyes, kidneys, and heart. In early pregnancy, high blood sugar can lead to birth defects in a growing baby. There are 3 types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. The body's immune system damages the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes. This is when the body can’t make enough insulin or use it normally. It’s not an autoimmune disease. Gestational diabetes. This is a condition in which the blood glucose level goes up and other diabetic symptoms appear during pregnancy in a woman who has not been diagnosed with diabetes before. It happens in about 3 in 100 to 9 in 100 pregnant women. What causes diabetes during pregnancy? Some women have diabetes before they get pregnant. This is called pregestational diabetes. Other women may get a type of diabetes that only happens in pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes. Pregnancy can change how a woman's body uses glucose. This can make diabetes worse, or lead to gestational diabetes. During pregnancy, an organ called the placenta gives a growing baby nutrients and oxygen. The placenta also makes hormones. In late pregnancy, the hormones estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen can block insulin. When insulin is blocked, it’s called insulin resistance. Glucose can't go into the body’s cells. The glucose stays in Continue reading >>
How Will Age-related Hormone Changes Affect You?
If you have diabetes, you know lots of things -- from eating too much, to missing a snack, to plain old stress -- can affect your blood sugar. But did you know just getting older could make it harder to control? There’s a lot going on in your body as you age. If you become more of a couch potato as you get up in years, you may gain weight. This lack of exercise and the extra pounds can send your blood sugar levels too high. And as you age, your body doesn’t use the insulin it makes as well as it did when you were younger. Your body also starts making less of some hormones, including the human growth hormone. Women will create less estrogen and progesterone, and men often produce less of the sex hormone testosterone. And as you get older, you may be more prone to illness and infections that can spike your blood sugar. Don’t worry too much, though. Middle age doesn’t mean you have to make dramatic changes to control your diabetes. It’s just good to be aware of things that might pop up. The Outlook for Women As women get older, hormone changes before and during menopause often cause hot flashes, irritability, and trouble sleeping. Not only do these drops or spikes in the hormones impact your mood and life, but they can also affect your blood sugar. These ups and downs mean may mean you have to test your levels and make adjustments more often. If you have type 1 diabetes, you may notice low blood sugar levels more often as you get closer to menopause. This can be a sign that your hormones are going down and you may need more insulin. It’s important to know the difference between low blood sugar and moodiness or other perimenopause symptoms. You may reach menopause early if you have type 1 diabetes, but if you’re overweight and have type 2, your changes could s Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Menopause: A Twin Challenge
Diabetes and menopause may team up for varied effects on your body. Here's what to expect — and how to stay in control. Menopause — and the years leading up to it — may present unique challenges if you have diabetes. But it's not necessarily a one-two punch. First, learn what to expect. Then consider what to do about it. Diabetes and menopause: What to expect Menopause is the phase of life after your periods have stopped and your estrogen levels decline. In some women, menopause can occur as a result of surgery, when the ovaries are removed for other medical reasons. Diabetes and menopause may team up for varied effects on your body, including: Changes in blood sugar level. The hormones estrogen and progesterone affect how your cells respond to insulin. After menopause, changes in your hormone levels can trigger fluctuations in your blood sugar level. You may notice that your blood sugar level is more variable and less predictable than before. If your blood sugar gets out of control, you have a higher risk of diabetes complications. Weight gain. Some women gain weight during the menopausal transition and after menopause. This can increase the need for insulin or oral diabetes medication. Infections. Even before menopause, high blood sugar levels can contribute to urinary tract and vaginal infections. After menopause — when a drop in estrogen makes it easier for bacteria and yeast to thrive in the urinary tract and vagina — the risk is even higher. Sleep problems. After menopause, hot flashes and night sweats may keep you up at night. In turn, the sleep deprivation can make it tougher to manage your blood sugar level. Sexual problems. Diabetes can damage the nerves of the cells that line the vagina. This can interfere with arousal and orgasm. Vaginal dryness, a Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes: Study Explains Link To Sleep Hormone Melatonin
Researchers have discovered that increasing levels of the sleep hormone melatonin reduces the ability of insulin-producing cells to release insulin. Also, they found the effect is stronger in people who carry a particular gene variant that is linked to higher risk for type 2 diabetes. The study, led by Lund University in Sweden, is published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The findings mark the culmination of work that goes back to 2009, when Lund researchers showed that a variant of the gene that codes for the protein known as melatonin receptor 1B (MTNR1B) increases the risk for type 2 diabetes. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to maintain our day-night cycle, or circadian rhythm, by regulating other hormones. The amount of melatonin in our blood varies through the day. It is affected by light and peaks during the darkest time, at night. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. It is produced and released by the beta cells of the pancreas, in response to spikes in blood sugar, such as during digestion. In type 2 diabetes, which accounts for nearly 90 percent of diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin, or cells become less effective at responding to it, which increases demand on the beta cells to produce more. Both of these result in increased levels of blood sugar, which eventually causes serious damage to organs. In the new study, the researchers worked with lab-cultured beta cells and mice to show that insulin-producing cells respond to increased levels of melatonin by reducing the amount of insulin they release. These signals are conveyed to them via the MTNR1B melatonin receptor proteins on their cell surfaces. The researchers also showed mice with disrupted MTNR1B receptors produced more insulin. Melatonin reduction of insulin st Continue reading >>
Amylin: The Other Hormone You Don’t Produce In Diabetes
In type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, we’re constantly thinking and talking about insulin. However, in type 1 diabetes, just as we don’t produce any insulin, we also don’t produce any of a hormone called “amylin.” In type 2 diabetes, just as your body isn’t producing enough or properly making use of the insulin you do still produce, the same is true for your body’s production of the hormone amylin. What is Amylin? “At the base of the pancreas,” explains Gary Scheiner, CDE and author of Think Like a Pancreas, “is a cluster of cells called the ‘islets of Langerhans,’ and contained within those cells are the cells that constantly measure blood glucose levels and produce insulin as needed to keep blood sugar within a normal range. Along with insulin, beta cells secrete amylin, a hormone that, among other things, regulates the rate at which food digests.” In type 1 diabetes, of course, those beta cells are attacked and destroyed by the immune system, therefore they produce zero insulin or amylin. In type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t produce enough or doesn’t properly make use of the insulin and amylin produced by your beta cells. Amylin’s primary purpose in the human body is to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking too high after a meal. Amylin literally slows down the rate at which your stomach starts emptying digested food into the small intestine, where the glucose from the food you eat, as Scheiner explains, is then absorbed into the bloodstream. Amylin also decreases appetite after a meal, and, Scheiner explains, “blunts the secretion of glucagon by the pancreas” that is produced after a meal. (Yup, even in type 1 diabetics, our pancreas produces glucagon after we eat! How totally unhelpful!) Do We Need It? You might be wondering Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar During Peri & Menopause ..
Did you know that if you are going through menopause it could be impacting blood sugar levels? This happened to me three years ago during peri menopause, after a fasting blood sugar bllod test, told borderline type 2 diabetes, so, I have to monitor regularly, no family history of diabetes, and not over weight... all in order now, it was peri causing it... but I was not aware until the blood test. Yes, it's true! Your female hormones, estrogens and progesterone affect your cells' sensitivity to insulin. So if you thought as your menopausal symptoms have gotten worse your blood sugar levels have also become less predictable, you are not crazy, it is true. Why does one of your health conditions affect another? It is happening because our hormones impact There are three different estrogens which are produced mainly in the ovaries each month that we have our menstrual cycle. As we move into menopause the levels of estrogen being produced in the ovaries begin to decline. Once in the blood stream, insulin travels to cells to help remove glucose from the blood so it can enter all of our cells easily. Estrogen has a protective effect on pancreas cells and prevents them from premature cell death. It also works on the cells of the pancreas to increase the production of insulin when required by certain conditions, such as diabetes. The decline in estrogen seems to cause our cells to become more insulin resistant, exacerbating blood glucose levels circulating in the body. Insulin resistance causes cells to not absorb glucose from the bloodstream as readily so blood glucose levels get higher. This causes a higher probability of exacerbating high blood sugars and diabetic complications over time. So what is the solution to this seemingly-complicated situation where menopause and diabe Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar & Other Hormones
Other hormones also affect blood sugar. Glucagon, amylin, GIP, GLP-1, epinephrine, cortisol, and growth hormone also affect blood sugar levels. There are other hormones other than insulin that affect the blood sugar levels in your body. It is important to know about glucagon, amylin, GIP, GLP-1, epinephrine, cortisol, and growth hormone. Glucagon: Glucagon, made by islet cells (alpha cells) in the pancreas, controls the production of glucose and another fuel, ketones, in the liver. Glucagon is released overnight and between meals and is important in maintaining the body’s sugar and fuel balance. It signals the liver to break down its starch or glycogen stores and helps to form new glucose units and ketone units from other substances. It also promotes the breakdown of fat in fat cells. In contrast, after a meal, when sugar from the ingested food rushes into your bloodstream, your liver doesn’t need to make sugar. The consequence? Glucagon levels fall. Unfortunately, in individuals with diabetes, the opposite occurs. While eating, their glucagon levels rise, which causes blood sugar levels to rise after the meal. WITH DIABETES, GLUCAGON LEVELS ARE TOO HIGH AT MEALTIMES GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and amylin: GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) and amylin are other hormones that also regulate mealtime insulin. GLP-1 and GIP are incretin hormones. When released from your gut, they signal the beta cells to increase their insulin secretion and, at the same time, decrease the alpha cells’ release of glucagon. GLP-1 also slows down the rate at which food empties from your stomach, and it acts on the brain to make you feel full and satisfied. Amylin: Amylin is released a Continue reading >>
Women And Diabetes
The Menstrual Cycle And Diabetes Fluctuations in hormone levels occur through the menstrual cycle and these fluctuations can affect blood sugar control. When estrogen levels are naturally high, your body may be resistant to its own insulin or injected insulin. Many women find their blood sugar tends to be high 3-5 days before, during or after their periods. Since everyone is different, the only way to manage blood sugars in a setting where sensitivity to insulin changes is to test and record blood sugars four or more times a day the week before, during and after your period for at least 2 or 3 months to find your own pattern. This allows you to adjust your insulin doses and carb intake both before and during this time to better control your blood sugar. Premenstrual symptoms (PMS) can be worsened by poor blood sugar control. It helps to chart your feelings such as tenderness, bloating, grouchiness for a week before, during and after your period. Charting will help you know when your PMS reach their peak during your period so that before your PMS is most severe, you can check your blood sugar more often and take extra insulin or exercise to bring high blood sugars down. Food cravings during PMS are triggered by an increase in progesterone and can make it more difficult to control your blood sugar. Usually the craving is for chocolate or sweet foods. Give in to your cravings by trying sugar-free and fat-free versions, such as chocolate pudding. Take extra insulin or increase your exercise to compensate. You may feel less like exercising during your period. If so, extra insulin may be a good choice for keeping your blood sugar from rising. The extra insulin needed to overcome insulin resistance during this time will not cause weight gain. Treat yourself well during this ti Continue reading >>
Diabetes Mellitus
Alternative names for diabetes mellitus Diabetes; type 2 diabetes; type 1 diabetes; sugar diabetes; T2DM, T1DM; insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; IDDM; juvenile-onset diabetes What is diabetes mellitus? Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, resulting in high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. There are many different types of diabetes; the most common are type 1 and type 2 diabetes, which are covered in this article. Gestational diabetes occurs during the second half of pregnancy and is covered in a separate article. Diabetes mellitus is linked with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, poor blood circulation to the legs and damage to the eyes, feet and kidneys. Early diagnosis and strict control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels can help to prevent or delay these complications associated with diabetes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (regular exercise, not smoking and eating healthily) is important in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. What causes diabetes mellitus? Insulin is a hormone produced by the beta cells within the pancreas in response to the intake of food. The role of insulin is to lower blood sugar (glucose) levels by allowing cells in the muscle, liver and fat to take up sugar from the bloodstream that has been absorbed from food, and store it away as energy. In type 1 diabetes (or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus), the insulin-producing cells are destroyed and the body is not able to produce insulin naturally. This means that sugar is not stored away but is constantly released from energy stores giving rise to high sugar levels in the blood. This in turn causes dehydration and thirst (because the high glucose ‘spills over’ into the urine and pulls wat Continue reading >>
3 Links Between Diabetes And Hormone Imbalance
Did you know that insulin is a hormone? It is produced by the pancreas and is a critical component in regulating your body’s metabolism, more specifically it regulates the way our bodies process glucose. Type 2 diabetes is becoming an ever-increasing health issue in the United States, and is characterized by the body’s inability to use insulin properly. But, as we mention over and over in our blogs, an imbalance in one area of the body has a noticeable effect on other parts. When a person has insulin-related hormone imbalance, other hormones can become out of balance as well, including testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, thyroid, and progesterone. This can have a significant effect on our health and the way they feel in our day-to-day life. Bringing these hormones back into balance can improve the metabolism and regulation of glucose. Fortunately, a hormone imbalance doctor can help you to naturally regulate your hormones, improving your overall health. Insulin resistance is linked to overall hormone imbalance Here are some typical examples of hormone imbalances related to low-insulin levels: 1. Low testosterone. When males have low testosterone levels, it can affect everything from their weight and physical appearance, to their emotional well-being. The reason this occurs is that insulin resistance with weight gain leads to elevated estrogen. Estrogen decreases free testosterone levels. The free testosterone is the amount available to have activity at the receptors for metabolism and muscle building. Plus, the low T can put men at risk for other medical conditions, such as heart disease. However, recently, researchers have correlated that low testosterone levels are linked to insulin resistance. In this study the researchers suggested that the low testosterone levels Continue reading >>
Diabetes Hits Women Hard At Menopause: Beat It Back
hits women hard, especially at midlife. In the United States, it’s the number 6 killer of women ages 45 to 54 and the number 4 killer of women ages 55 to 64. What’s more, diabetes increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and many other serious conditions, including blindness, kidney disease, and nerve disease. Diabetes is on the rise in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 10 US adults has diabetes now, and if current trends continue, that figure could rise to 1 in 3 by 2050. The increase is nearly all because of the rise of type 2 diabetes, which is most common in obese people age 40 and older. (Type 1 diabetes is much less common and usually starts in childhood or adolescence.) A huge proportion of US adults—more than a third of all of them and half over age 65—have prediabetes, and thus are poised to develop the full-blown disease. Does menopause increase diabetes risk? That hasn’t been an easy question for researchers to answer. It’s hard to separate the effects of menopause from the effects of age and weight. But it does look like hormones do have something to do with it. If you are a woman over age 50, you’re especially vulnerable, and women pay a heavy price for the disease. They lose more years of life than men with diabetes do. In addition, the death rate for women with diabetes has risen dramatically since the 1970s, while it has not for men with the disease. Age and overweight (or obesity) are the most common traits that make someone likely to develop type 2 diabetes. A family history of diabetes, prediabetes, minority ethnicity (Hispanic, African American, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander), high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease or abnormal cholesterol levels, and inact Continue reading >>
What Is Progesterone?
A correlation between progesterone and diabetes may exist when pregnant women develop gestational diabetes. Research with hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy and the likelihood of some women to suffer from gestational diabetes is pointing the existence of high progesterone levels in pregnancies causing abnormal amounts of blood glucose to accumulate. Additionally, menopausal women experiencing hormonal reductions involving estrogen and progesterone may also be at risk for acquiring diabetes as well, mainly because progesterone protects coronary heart disease and hypertension. Progesterone is a hormone produced and released by the ovaries, adrenal glands and in placental material during pregnancy. It is also kept in reserve in adipose tissue, which partially explains why women who are anorexic or severely underweight have difficulty getting pregnant. Some of the functions performed by progesterone within a woman’s body include: Assists in preparing the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg Promotes development and health of embryos and fetuses Acts as a precursor to testosterone Reduces the risk of heart disease in older women Regulates optimal response of the immune system Behaves like an anti-inflammatory agent Enhances vascular health and blood clotting When an egg is successfully fertilized, progesterone production increases to almost 400 milligrams each day during the last three or four months of a woman’s pregnancy. Researchers think this substantial rise in progesterone levels may play a role in the emergence of gestational diabetes in some women who may harbor at-risk conditions prior to becoming pregnant. However, other hormones such as estrogen, prolactin, placental lactogen and especially cortisol may also exacerbate the development of GD not Continue reading >>
