In a new study, researchers found a clear link between the stress hormone cortisol and higher blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
The research was conducted by a team at Ohio State University.
In healthy people, cortisol fluctuates naturally throughout the day, spiking in the morning and falling at night.
But in participants with type 2 diabetes, cortisol profiles that were flatter throughout the day had higher glucose levels.
Previous research has shown that stress and depression are two of the major causes of a flatter cortisol profile.
These sustained levels of cortisol make it much more difficult to control blood sugar and manage the disease, which is why it is so important for those with type 2 diabetes to find ways to reduce stress.
In the study, the team found the link of cortisol with glucose levels was only observed in those with diabetes.
However, the team believes the stress hormone likely plays an important role in diabetes prevention and they continue to research the connection between cortisol and the development of diabetes and heart disease.
They have begun a new trial to examine if mindfulness practices can lower blood sugar in those with type 2 diabetes.
But this isn’t the only effective form of stress relief. It’s important to find something people enjoy and make it a part of your everyday routine.
More than 30 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin properly.
Some people can manage their blood sugar levels with healthy eating and exercise, while others may need medication or insulin to help manage it.
One author of the study is Dr. Joshua J. Joseph, an endocrinologist, and researcher at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center’s Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center.
The study is published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
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