Chronic Stress Can Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk

In our daily life, we all are exposed to many stresses. We have reasons to worry about how we build our relationships with the ones around us, about our own performance at work or the performance of our kids in school, about the things we feel and the things we need to decide on, and many other important issues. Destructive effects of stresses, especially chronic stresses on our overall health are well known. Stresses cause psychological disorders and affect our appearance, they increase our risks for cardiovascular diseases and all the diseases linked to hormonal shifts. Stresses are very often linked to imbalanced nutrition, appetite loss and digestive disorders, which sometimes can be very serious. Chronic stress should be considered the factor that is the same harmful as environmental pollution, improper nutrition or a lack of physical activities.

For the last two decades, a great number of studies were conducted by the specialists of leading scientific organizations in order to look closer at negative effects of stresses, understand their mechanisms and learn how to protect ourselves against the harmful effects of chronic stress in the most effective ways. In the end of 2012, the findings of one more related study were published revealing one more negative outcome of chronic stresses that we all are exposed to. A group of scientists by the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found out that those modern people who are under effects of permanent stresses of various origin actually have increased type 2 diabetes risk. Those are the conclusions made by Swedish experts after analyzing the information gathered during a 35-year follow up study involving about 7,500 Swedish men living in Gothenburg.

Most of the participants were born between 1915 and 1925. For the first time, their health including cardiovascular condition and type 2 diabetes, was evaluated in the early 1970s by the scientists from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. In addition to that, daily habits, eating habits, psychological condition and other important factors of the participants were monitored. During the initial phase of the study, it became apparent that about 6,830 participants had no history of stroke, coronary heart disease or other cardiovascular health condition, and did not suffer from diabetes mellitus. During the second phase of the study, it turned out that 899 participants developed type 2 diabetes. After evaluating possible contributing factors, the researchers came across the effects of chronic stress linked to both personal and professional  life of the participants, and made up their mind to analyze this factor closer.

As a baseline of the new analysis, stress was measured by using a simple system of rating their stress levels by the participants. The six-rate scale was created based on such key factors as the level of anxiety, irritation, possible sleep disorders, and other symptoms of chronic stresses that we all commonly experience. It turned out that 15.5 per cent of the participants stated that they were suffering from chronic stresses, both at home and at work, in the framework of the past one to five year period of time. Further analysis and estimations of the Swedish scientific team have shown that those participants who reported their exposure to chronic stresses actually had up to 45 per cent higher type 2 diabetes risk compared to those of the participants who did not demonstrated the signs of chronic stresses or possible reported certain periodic stresses.

Certainly, other factors like age, the levels of daily physical activities, body mass index, social and economic status, blood pressure, or using medications were also taken into account. However, no links between any of these factors and high type 2 diabetes risk were established. Thus, chronic stresses play one of the key role for our chances to suffer from this disease. “Today, stress is not recognized as a preventable cause of diabetes. As our study shows that there is an independent link between permanent stress and the risk of developing diabetes, which underlines the importance of preventive measure,” “says Masuma Novak, one of the authors of the study an a senior specialist at the University of Gothenburg, Institute of Health and Care Sciences. To find more information about the study and learn more about the links between chronic stress and type 2 diabetes risk, go to here.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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