Sugar within the type of sweets and desserts can wreak havoc in your blood sugar if not managed properly. However what in case you are somebody who doesn’t eat sweets, but your blood sugar ranges proceed to be excessive? A put up on Quora additionally requested this query: ‘What causes excessive blood sugar even when I don’t eat sweets?’ To convey you expert-verified info, we reached out to Dr Manisha Arora, director, inner drugs, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, and Dr Aarti Ullal, doctor and diabetologist, Gleneagles Hospital Parel, Mumbai.
Dr Arora was fast to level it out as a “very attention-grabbing query, and a standard fantasy”. “It’s essential to grasp that sugar within the type of sweets just isn’t the one reason for excessive blood sugar or diabetes,” asserted Dr Arora.
Even when you’re not consuming sweets, Dr Arora mentioned that consuming high-glycemic index (GI) meals, similar to white bread, potatoes, or refined carbohydrates, can result in spikes in blood sugar ranges. “Processed meals which might be excessive in sugar, unhealthy fat, and enormous portion sizes also can contribute considerably,” mentioned Dr Arora.
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So, excessive blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can occur even when you keep away from sugary meals. “It may be attributable to a number of different elements, similar to stress, lack of bodily exercise, poor sleep, sure drugs (like steroids), and skipping diabetes medicine or insulin,” mentioned Dr Ullal.
Different contributing elements:
*Drugs: Sure drugs can elevate blood sugar ranges. For instance:
Steroids (corticosteroids) used for situations like rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial bronchial asthma, or autoimmune problems (e.g., lupus) can elevate blood glucose ranges, Dr Arora mentioned, including “Antidepressants, decongestants, and contraception drugs also can have an effect on blood sugar.”
*Hormonal response to power stress will increase ranges of cortisol, a hormone that triggers the physique’s “struggle or flight” response. Cortisol makes the physique consider it’s in a state of famine, prompting it to protect glucose and lift blood sugar ranges, mentioned Dr Arora.
*Insufficient or poor-quality sleep additionally raises cortisol ranges, which might cut back insulin sensitivity and contribute to excessive blood sugar.
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*A sedentary life-style with little or no train can result in insulin resistance, a key consider rising blood sugar ranges.
*Infections or sickness: Even when an individual with diabetes avoids sugar, infections similar to cough, chilly, flu, or extra severe situations like pneumonia can elevate blood sugar ranges because of the physique’s stress response, mentioned Dr Arora.
Do you might have excessive blood sugar? (Photograph: Getty Photographs/Thinkstock)
*Physiological phenomena such because the daybreak phenomenon. “Within the early morning hours, hormones like cortisol and development hormone are launched. These stimulate the liver to provide glucose, giving the physique power upon waking. This could result in larger morning blood sugar ranges,” mentioned Dr Arora.
One also can expertise the somogyi impact (rebound hyperglycemia). If blood sugar drops too low at evening, particularly in somebody on insulin or sure drugs, the physique compensates by releasing saved glucose, inflicting excessive blood sugar within the morning. “That’s why we typically verify 3:00 am sugar ranges. If these ranges are low, it could point out the necessity to cut back medicine moderately than improve it,” added Dr Arora.
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*Put up-menopausal ladies or these with hormonal imbalances could expertise adjustments in insulin sensitivity, which might result in fluctuations in blood sugar ranges.
“It’s a fantasy that solely sweets elevate blood sugar. Many life-style, hormonal, medical, and physiological elements play a job. Managing blood sugar requires a complete method, together with weight-reduction plan, train, medicine overview, stress administration, and common monitoring,” mentioned Dr Arora.
Concurred Dr Ullal concurred and pressured that consuming a nutritious weight-reduction plan, exercising day by day, staying stress-free by doing yoga and meditation, and taking medicine on time may also help to handle blood sugar ranges and enhance the standard of life.
DISCLAIMER: This text is predicated on info from the general public area and/or the consultants we spoke to. All the time seek the advice of your well being practitioner earlier than beginning any routine.
