Diabetes is a serious disease that is estimated to affect 10.5% of the US population. For those affected, it can be confusing to navigate their new lifestyle. A diabetes diagnosis, whether it’s your own or for a loved one, will raise many questions. While waiting to speak with a doctor, it can be helpful to do some research on your own.

One potentially confusing aspect of diabetes is its link with hormonal imbalances. This article will talk about diabetes, hormone imbalance, and how the two are linked. You’ll learn about the hormones that cause low blood sugar and high blood sugar. Finally, we’ll leave you with some ideas on how to manage life with diabetes and hormonal imbalance.

Can a Hormonal Imbalance Cause Diabetes?

Diabetes is known as an endocrine disease and is actually the most common endocrine disease in the US.

Your endocrine system is the one in charge of creating and distributing hormones throughout your body. An endocrine disease occurs when your body is making either too much or not enough of a specific hormone. This hormone imbalance is what causes diabetes.

The specific hormone that affects diabetes is insulin. Insulin is essentially what makes it possible for your body to convert sugar into usable energy. Without enough insulin, your blood sugar rises as your body can’t turn it into energy.

However, not all types of diabetes are the same. There are a few different diagnoses:

Type 1 Diabetes: Caused by your body not producing enough insulin. This type is normally diagnosed in children.
Type 2 Diabetes: Caused by your body becoming resistant to insulin, meaning it needs more to function properly. This is the most common form of diabetes and is normally diagnosed in adults.
Gestational Diabetes: A temporary form of diabetes that occurs in 3-5% of pregnant women. It normally goes away after the birth of the baby, but many of these women develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

What Hormones Affect Blood Sugar?

While a lack of insulin is the main factor in diabetes, there are other hormones that affect your blood sugar levels, which can exacerbate the issue.

Glucagon controls glucose and ketone production in your liver. This hormone is essential for maintaining the fuel balance and sugar levels in your body.
Amylin helps maintain glucagon levels in your body and is what makes you feel satisfied and full after your meals. This is a hormone that causes the blood sugar level to decrease.
Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, stimulates the liver to produce sugar and promotes the breakdown of fat nutrients. This is a hormone that causes the blood sugar level to increase.
Cortisol is a type of steroid hormone. It makes muscle and fat cells resistant to insulin and enhances glucose production in the liver. While some cortisol is necessary, too much of it can build up your resistance to insulin.
Estrogen and type 2 diabetes are also linked. While estrogen is a sex hormone, it can also change how your body responds to insulin. Changes in estrogen can cause either a rise or fall in blood sugar, meaning estrogen and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are also connected.

Managing a Hormonal Imbalance and Diabetes

While diabetes is a life-changing diagnosis, there are steps you can take to lead a healthy and normal life while dealing with hormonal diabetes symptoms.

Reduce Sugar

There are likely going to be many changes to your diet based on your needs to improve your health. One of those changes is almost always going to be a decrease in sugar intake, as sugar increases insulin levels and promotes insulin resistance.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking alone is bad for your health, but it’s made worse with diabetes. Both smoking and diabetes narrow the blood vessels, making your heart work harder. This, in turn, increases the risk of many heart problems.

Be Physically Active

Physical activity will not only improve your general health but will also help keep you at an appropriate weight. Managing diabetes is far easier when your body is kept healthy.

Monitor Your Blood Sugar

Regularly monitoring your blood sugar levels is essential for managing diabetes. Doing so will help you and your doctor make important decisions about your diet, physical activity, and medicine intake.

Living With Diabetes and Hormonal Imbalance

Diabetes is a disease caused by a hormonal imbalance when your body either isn’t producing enough insulin or has developed a resistance to insulin. While this is deeply impactful for those diagnosed, there are ways that high or low blood sugar and hormone imbalances can be managed so that you can maintain a happy and healthy life.

If you or a loved one needs help managing diabetes, book an appointment with Matthews Internal Medicine. Learn more about diabetes by visiting our resources page.

Are Diabetes and Hormonal Imbalances Linked?