Prednisone And Diabetes: What Is The Connection?

Prednisone and diabetes: What is the connection?

Prednisone is a steroid that works in a similar way to cortisol, which is the hormone normally made by the body's adrenal glands.
Steroids are used to treat a wide range of conditions from autoimmune disorders to problems related to inflammation, such as arthritis.
They work by reducing the activity of the body's immune system and reducing inflammation and so are useful in preventing tissue damage.
However, steroids may also affect how the body reacts to insulin, a hormone that controls the level of sugar in the blood.
Contents of this article:
How do steroids affect blood sugar levels?
Steroids can cause blood sugar levels to rise by making the liver resistant to the insulin produced by the pancreas.
When blood sugar levels are high, insulin is secreted from the pancreas and delivered to the liver.
When insulin is delivered to the liver, it signals it to reduce the amount of sugar it normally releases to fuel cells. Instead, sugar is transported straight from the bloodstream to the cells. This process reduces the overall blood sugar concentration.
Steroids can make the liver less sensitive to insulin. They can make the liver carry on releasing sugar even if the pancreas is releasing insulin, signalling it to stop.
If this continues, it causes insulin resistance, where the cells no longer respond to the insulin produced by the body or injected to control diabetes. This condition is called steroid-induced diabetes.
Steroid-induced diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabete Continue reading

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14 Effective Home Remedies For Diabetes

Diabetes is a very common disease or disorder of metabolism. It is a complex group of diseases triggered by various causes. People with diabetes have high blood glucose, also known as high blood sugar or hyperglycemia. The digestive tract breaks down carbohydrates or sugar and starches found in many foods into glucose, a form of sugar that enters the bloodstream. With the help of the hormone insulin the bodies absorbs glucose and utilizes it for producing energy. Diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or use insulin effectively. Insulin is made in the pancreas, an organ located behind the stomach. The Pancreas contains clusters of cells called islets; the beta cells within the islets make insulin and release it to the blood.
If the beta cells don’t produce enough insulin or the body is unable to respond to insulin that is present, the glucose builds up in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells in the body, leading to prediabetes or diabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood glucose levels or A1C levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. In diabetes the body cells lack enough energy, even though the glucose levels are very high.
The increase in the blood sugar levels damages nerves and blood vessels. It also leads to complications like cardiovascular diseases, strokes, kidney problems, blindness, dental problems and amputations. High blood glucose levels also damage nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes can also lead to depression, fertility issues, and increased risk of other diseases a Continue reading

Why low blood sugar is dangerous

Hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, is often known as a 'hypo'. It can make you feel unwell and affect your ability to drive. Simple steps will reduce the risk, and allow you to treat a hypo early, before it causes more serious complications.
Blood sugar - what's normal?
Under normal circumstances, your body does a remarkable job of keeping your blood sugar (in the form of glucose) stable. Usually your body releases a hormone called insulin, produced by your pancreas, in response to rises in blood sugar. Your body's cells need glucose as fuel to allow them to function. Insulin acts as a 'key', opening the door of your cells to allow glucose in. Another hormone helps raise your blood sugar if it gets too low.
Your blood sugar, which is measured in millimoles per litre or mmol/L, is usually maintained between 4 and 6 mmol/L when you're fasting, and up to 7.8 mmol/L two hours after a meal. Diabetes is diagnosed on the basis of raised blood glucose.
Hypos - what causes them?
People with type 1 diabetes need insulin in injection form, because they don't produce any insulin of their own. People with type 2 diabetes sometimes need insulin if their blood sugar can't be controlled with other tablets. If you're using insulin injections, the amount of insulin you need depends on lots of factors, including how much food you've eaten. More insulin than you need can drop your blood sugar below normal levels, causing a 'hypo'.
So too can some tablets used in type 2 diabetes, particularly sulfonylureas, nateglinide and repaglinide, which act by making your body produce more insulin.
What sy Continue reading

This Is What Diabetes Looks Like

When someone says they have diabetes, what image comes to your mind? If your answer is “nothing,” that’s a good thing. There’s no one “look” or “type” of person with the condition. Still, diabetes is a serious disease with a lot of stigma associated with it — for no good reason.
For the following nine individuals, diabetes doesn’t control who they are, what they like or dislike, or who they spend their time with. It doesn’t control what they can do and what they have done. Having diabetes may impact how they go about their everyday life, but it doesn’t impact who they are or what they hope to become. This is what diabetes looks like.
Shelby Kinnaird, 55
Type 2 diabetes, Diagnosed in 1999
People with diabetes can be any age, any weight, any race, and any sex. Things that work for me may not work for you. Experiment and learn what works for your body and your lifestyle.
I manage my diabetes by continuously learning about it and monitoring it. I read a lot about diabetes, lead a couple of support groups, educate myself about nutrition, ask my doctors questions, and participate in the online diabetes community. I test my blood glucose regularly, weigh myself every morning, and exercise at least five days a week (most of the time).
I've found that the more I eat fresh vegetables and fruits, the easier it is to manage my diabetes. If my numbers start creeping up, I log everything I eat until I get back on track. The most important thing to me is that food be both delicious and nutritious. If I try a new food, I make sure to take a blood glucose reading a c Continue reading

Dangers of Not Taking Insulin or Other Diabetes Medication

As water wears down a shoreline, even a rocky one, high blood sugar wears down the health of people with diabetes.
Unless an individual can control their blood sugar through lifestyle, diet and exercise, prescription medications are the only option for preventing acute life-threatening conditions and avoiding or slowing the onset of diabetes complications.
Short-Term Dangers
The short-term dangers of not taking prescribed medication are symptoms of weakness, fatigue, mental confusion and the life-threatening condition of hyperosmolar syndrome.
Hyperosmolar syndrome is diagnosed in people with type 2 diabetes whose blood glucose and sodium levels are extremely high because of dehydration. Symptoms of weakness, increased thirst and urination, nausea, confusion and fatigue can develop gradually over days or weeks. Eventually, convulsions and coma may set in.
This condition usually requires hospitalization and aggressive treatment using IV fluids and insulin. Though symptoms are often relieved within hours, hyperosmolar syndrome can cause death, even with proper treatment. If people fall into a coma before seeking help, there is a 50 percent chance they will die from the disease.
Although the condition called ketoacidosis is uncommon with type 2 diabetes, it may occur. When the body cannot process glucose for energy, it breaks down fat for fuel. As fat is metabolized, it produces ketones.
Too many ketones cause increased urination and thirst, dry mouth, cool skin, nausea and vomiting. Eventually, there may be a drop in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, coma or death. Treat Continue reading