How Big Of A Role Does Stress Play In The Causes Of Diabetes?
Posted in Definition on 24. Feb, 2010
I know on my dads side of the family diabetes is prevalent. For the past couple of months I’ve been extremely stressed due to work, my long term relationship with my boyfriend, finances, and family issues. I’ve noticed that I’ve been really irritated, tired, increased appetite (but I haven’t gained any weight), urinating frequently, and can not stop drinking fluids. I know when my father was diagnosed with diabetes 10 years ago he was going through depression due to the death of my grandfather.
Hi,
High blood sugar levels can cause you to become irritated, so what might normally will be handled as OK level of stress, but the high sugars will cause you to break down more.
The lack of ability to deal with the stress is a symptom of diabetes and high blood sugar levels. Not really a cause in itself, more like the thing that caused you to visit the doctor.
My boss used to keep a candy jar on his desk. After some prompting, I filled it with some really good mints, and he ate a bunch of them, leading to his discovery of diabetes.
I did not cause his diabetes, just caused it to be discovered.
The stress will not cause the diabetes, but once you have high blood sugar levels then anything can set you off.
You might want to read Dr. Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes.
I also found Dr. Young’s book The PH Miracle for Diabetes very informative too. He writes that insulin becomes more effective once you are less acidic.
Good Luck!
The fact that your father was diagnosed at the same time that he was mourning the death of your grandfather was a coincidence. Stress and diabetes are not linked. We’d all be diabetic if stress triggered it!
Your irritation and being tired probably have a direct link to the stresses in your life. Increased appetite also may be linked because many of us over eat in times of stress. The urination and fluids are directly related.
You can always check with your doctor for an A1c test for diabetes (it’s more reliable than a home glucometer) to ease your worried mind. The number you get should be under 6.
You have a higher chance of getting diabetes because it runs in your family, but stress is not the trigger and stress is not the cause.
High stress levels over long periods of time (years) CAN be a contributing cause of diabetes, just like it is with heart disease. But not the only cause.
Stress raises blood sugar levels, as a result of raising various hormones (”fight or flight response mechanism) and over time, can cause damage to your body.
Stress over shorter periods (weeks or months) can aggrivate or escalate existing blood sugar problems. You may have been developing diabetes or already have it, and the symptoms have become more noticable to you. Many diabetics experience difficulties with blood sugar control while under stress.
Talk to your doctor. Getting more control over your blood sugar levels now will help. The better you feel physically, the better you will feel emotionally, too, which may help ease some of the stress you are experiencing.
CAUSE of diabetes? None. Diabetes is NOT caused by stress. However, stress might make you overeat, and overeating causes weight gain, and being overweight causes Type 2 Diabetes.
If you are ALREADY diabetic, though, Stress WILL make it worse. Stress causes the blood sugars to rise, even in “normal” people. But in the “normal”person the body’s insulin brings the blood sugar level back down.
In the diabetic, stress causes a rise in blood sugar, but there is little or no insulin control to reduce it — so the blood sugar level STAYS high, and that is what does the damage.
Stress can definately have an effect on blood sugar levels. Go to a doctor or use your fathers meter. Most people do it as a fasting which is the best resulats which means you shouldn’t eat or drink anythig 12 hours before the test. if it is under70 or above 120, get yourself to a doctor ASAP!
Stress can have a big effect on blood sugars. If your dad has a glucometer you could ask him to let you test yourself. Do a fasting first thing in the morning and do one 2 hours after eating. 80-120 is considered normal. Try that or get a visit with your doctor. Best of Luck.
Stress doesn’t cause diabetes but can contribute to the symptoms of it. If you are stressed, you usually don’t eat or sleep right and this affects all your hormones. More cortisol would be released (the flight or fight hormone) and this could cause your other hormones to be out of whack.
I’m diabetic and I also work 12 hour shift work, when I don’t get enough sleep because of it and when I’m working night shifts, I’m eating at night which isn’t natural for the body. Sometimes this affects my blood sugars.
Go to your doctor to get blood tests for diabetes as it’s partly due to genetics and age.
You also need to get your stress under control. I have a stressful job and to help cope with that, I listen to meditation C.D’s before going to sleep and when I wake up. I also listen to motivational, uplifting C.D’s by Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins, Bob Proctor etc. when driving.
I also read positive books or have a relaxing bath or watch a comedy. I also talk to my friends. I also take vitamins that help with stress such as Vitamin B and Adrenal supplements.
If your having trouble with your boyfriend and family issues, it might not be a bad idea to see a counselor. I did a few years ago when I was having issues with my alcoholic father (who’s now passed away)
Hope this is helpful,
Michelle,http://www.stressandyourhealth.org