Higher levels of stress linked to type 2 diabetes
Research finds that a link may exist between type 2 diabetes and a weakened ability to recover from stress.
Scientists at University College London (UCL) analysed the biological systems of 140 patients with type 2 diabetes, exploring whether they experienced a level of chronic stress higher than average.
Cortisol and type 2 diabetes
Lead researcher Andrew Steptoe, director of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care at UCL, found the patients with type 2 diabetes struggled to bring down their cholesterol, heart rate and blood pressure when responding to stress.
The type 2 diabetes participants also had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, in their blood, and IL-6, a protein involved when the immune system responds to stress.
There was also a greater level of depressive and hostile symptoms displayed. Steptoe reported: “People with type 2 diabetes experienced more chronic stress exposure in terms of money concerns and neighbourhood problems.
“They were more depressed, more pessimistic about the future, and reported a lower sense of control over their lives.”
Is diabetes caused by stress?
The researchers concluded that the results do not reflect that the extra strain on the type 2 diabetes participants is either a consequence or cause of type 2 diabetes.
Although a link …read more
Source:: News from Diabetes.co.uk