Stress and diabetes

Several studies have shown that chronic stress is an important risk factor for type 2 diabetes:

• Stress increases the level of cortisol in the blood and a chronic hypercortisolemia combined with a prolonged activation of the sympathetic nervous system promote insulin resistance, visceral obesity and can lead to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

• Chronic stress also induces increased production of inflammatory cytokines, which interact with the normal functioning of pancreatic cells, inducing insulin resistance

Moreover, it has been demonstrated that patients suffering from diabetes were more likely to also suffer from depression and anxiety.