Stress and Diabetes

Under stressful circumstances cortisol provides the body with glucose by tapping into protein stores via a complex process in the liver. The glucose provides us with the energy required to fight or flee and is meant as a short term solution. However when we suffer with long term stress we are continually producing glucose which leads to prolonged elevated blood sugar levels. Another function of cortisol is to surpress the job of insulin rendering the cells insulin resistant. Constant high levels of cortisol can mean the cells stay in a constant insulin resistant state. However the pancreas continues to produce insulin but eventually struggles with the body's high demand, then the blood glucose remains high, the cells cannot get the sugar they need and so the cycle continues. This in turn can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The many sources of physical stress also cause the adrenals to be depleted. Not enough sleep, too much exercise, doing the wrong type of exercise (such as Aerobic exercise that triggers Anaerobic metabolism), joint and back pain, as well as being overweight are all additional stressors that tax the adrenal glands, which is one more factor to exhausting your adrenal glands!

It is a vicious cycle that keeps repeating itself and needs to be addressed. You can take all of the supplements you want, but they won’t help your adrenals if you can’t keep your blood sugar stable.