“In healthy people, cortisol naturally fluctuates throughout the day, with levels rising in the morning and falling again at night,” says lead author Dr. Joshua J. Joseph, endocrinologist at Wexner Medical Center. “In participants with type 2 diabetes, whose cortisol profiles are flatter throughout the day, glucose levels are higher.”
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In diabetics, cortisol remains blocked at its highest level
Previous studies have shown that stress and depression are among the main causes of higher and “flatter” cortisol. In fact, cortisol levels that remain high throughout the day make it much more difficult to control blood sugar and manage diabetes. This relationship of cortisol to glucose levels is only seen in diabetics, however, researchers suggest that the stress hormone may play a key role in preventing diabetes and that it is important to better understand this link. between cortisol and the development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Thus, in this study, among participants with diabetes,
- the annual increase in cortisol is associated with an increase in blood sugar over time;
- flattening of cortisol decline during the circadian cycle is associated with increased blood sugar;
taken together, these results suggest a deleterious role of cortisol in the evolution of blood sugar levels in diabetes.
Most people with type 2 diabetes are well aware of the importance of certain lifestyle factors such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and good sleep in preventing and controlling their diabetes. Stress reduction shouldn’t be forgotten, the researchers say.
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