Underweight With Type 1 Diabetes
Following a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes, it is common to be underweight. Usually once youre put onto insulin you should find you settle back into your normal weight within a few weeks.
If your blood sugar levels are consistently high, you may find it more difficult to put on weight. It is important not to allow your blood sugar levels to run high for long periods as this can lead to a very real chance of diabetic complications occurring.
Diabetes: Why Am I Gaining Weight
HealthMatch staff
Insulin is a vital hormone in your body that regulates blood sugar levels. It helps your body turn sugar into energy. Just as a car engine uses gasoline, the body uses sugar to function optimally. Its a fundamental unit of energy that fuels your body cells.
According to the New York State Department of Health,¹ about 15% to 30% of people with prediabetes develop full-blown type 2 diabetes in approximately 3 to 5 years when lifestyle changes are not made.
Diabetes Cause Weight Gain And Weight Loss In Others
Are you overweight and have diabetes as well? Or should I ask, your obesity led you to diabetes? The answer can be anything. And sometimes diabetes and weight loss are also observed in some patients. You must have heard about how diabetes is associated with being overweight or underweight. Obesity is a condition in which the diabetic may have to experience the worst outcomes.
Don’t Miss: Can Metformin Cause Sweating
You Eat Healthy Foods But In Large Quantities
Remedy: Keep eating healthy foods, but watch portion sizes.
Eating foods that are good for you is a basic tenet of a healthy diabetes diet, but serving sizes and portion control are also important. Lots of times people equate healthy to unlimited, says Segura. I have patients that are picking really healthy foods, like nuts, olive oil, and avocados, but failing to realize that theyre chock-full of calories.
For a fuss-free style of eating that doesnt require measuring out portions, Shrodes suggests following the plate method. According to the American Diabetes Associations plate method calls for filling ½ of your plate with nonstarchy veggies, ¼ with lean protein, and ¼ with starch. For example, you might fill your plate with a piece of cod, broccoli and peppers, and quinoa. If you were overeating before and use this method, youll naturally manage your blood sugar, cut calories, and start to lose weight, she says.
How Does The Glycemic Index Work
The glycemic index is pretty simple to use. The numbers can be broken up into three levels:
- 55 and less: Eat these foods to lose weight. This includes beans, nuts, vegetables and most fruits.
- 55 to 75: Eat very few foods in this range. This includes foods like white bread, crackers, bagels and most sodas and colas.
- 75 or more: Eat almost no foods in this range. This includes foods like potatoes, sports drinks, waffles and instant oatmeal.
If you are struggling with your weight, make it a point to follow this easy system. Your goal is to make sure the majority of the food you eat is non-processed, free of refined sugar and white flour and ranked at 55 or less on the glycemic index.
Most food labels do not list the glycemic index number, but its easy to find just about any foods ranking with a quick Internet search. For example, Harvard Medical School published a list of glycemic indexes for over 100 common foods.
Before you go grocery shopping or sit down to a meal, look up the glycemic indexes of the foods youre planning to eat. In the beginning you may be surprised the indexes often are not what you would expect. In time, though, you will develop a good sense for what will make you gain weight and what will help you achieve your health goals.
You May Like: Will Drinking Water Lower Blood Sugar
Up The Ante On Diet + Exercise
The most basic answers are adjusting your diet and exercise. Talk to your doctor and to a nutrition specialist about a food plan that takes the insulin effects into account. Work a bit more activity or exercise into each day. Sometimes, your insulin dosage should be adjusted when exercising.
Dont self-adjust the dosage or timing of your insulin to accommodate eating more calories. You can end up gaining more weight. However, its good to self-adjust insulin for the purpose of fine tuning the dosage. Of course, you want to keep your doctor informed and continually work on good diet and exercise habits.
Talk To Your Doctor About Your Treatment Plan
You should never cut back on your insulin dose or stop taking insulin on your own. Not taking your insulin as prescribed can lead to high blood sugar and increase your risk of complications. If youre struggling with weight gain, talk to your doctor about adjusting your treatment strategy.
Your doctor may also recommend other diabetes drugs. There have been advances in medications over the past five to 10 years that have the side effect of helping people lose weight, says McClain. Ask your doctor if these may be appropriate for you. Also confirm with your doctor that youre not on medications that can actually cause you to gain weight, Dr. Jensen says.
Don’t Miss: Does Hypertension Cause Diabetes
Other Symptoms Of Diabetes In Children
Similar to adults, hallmark early signs of diabetes in children are increased urination and thirst. When blood sugar is high, it triggers a reaction in the body that pulls fluid from tissues. This will leave a child constantly thirsty, causing them to drink more fluids, which will result in a need for more bathroom breaks throughout the day. Dehydration in children becomes a risk if this occurs.
In addition to the signs of dehydration, children may have these symptoms, too:
- Sunken eyes or cheeks
- Not enough wet diapers
Here are some traits of diabetes found in kids:
- Fatigue: If a child is often tired, it may be a clue that their body is having trouble converting sugar in the bloodstream into energy.
- Vision changes: High blood sugar levels can cause blurred vision and other eyesight problems.
- Fruity smelling breath: This sign could be indicative of too much sugar in the blood.
- Extreme hunger: When a childs muscles and organs arent receiving enough energy, it can cause extreme hunger.
- Unusual behavior: If a child seems moodier or more restless than normaland its in conjunction with other symptoms that could indicate diabetesit could be cause for concern.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Heavy breathing
Diabetes can be life-threatening if left untreated. If your child is showing signs of diabetes, its important for you to schedule a healthcare providers appointment as soon as possible.
Also Check: Nursing Care Plan For Diabetes
Does Insulin Resistance Cause Weight Gain
This question is the basis of an ongoing, intense debate between researchers trying to determine which of the following is more likely:
Insulin resistance causes weight gain.
Weight gain causes insulin resistance.
Since insulin is one of the main hormones responsible for lowering your blood sugar levels, being insulin resistant typically means that your blood sugar levels are higher than they should be. In addition, it also means that you store fat a lot more easily because insulin promotes fat storage.
When blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but below the diabetic range, its known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia or, more commonly, prediabetes. If left untreated, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which can have serious complications, is very high.
Answering whether or is more likely helps us understand the development of type 2 diabetes. If we learn how something develops, then we can find out the most effective target for treatment and, more importantly, prevention.
This in-depth guide will cover 4 potential answers to our question:
Read Also: Gluconeogenesis And Diabetes
Can Diabetes Medication Make You Gain Weight
What factors contribute to diabetics fast weight gain? Weight gain is an indication that insulin is operating properly that your body is processing sugar, fat, and protein more efficiently and is storing resources. Typically, when your blood sugars are up, your hunger increases.
Which diabetes medicines are not associated with weight gain? DPP-4 inhibitors are often not associated with weight gain and have a neutral or beneficial impact on cholesterol levels. The DPP-4 inhibitors now available in the United States include alogliptin , linagliptin , saxagliptin , and sitagliptin .
What exactly is a diabetic stomach? Diabetic gastroparesis is a term that refers to instances of the digestive disorder gastroparesis caused by diabetes. The stomach contracts during proper digestion to aid in the breakdown of food and its passage into the small intestine. Gastroparesis impairs the stomachs contraction, which may result in digestion being interrupted.
This groundbreaking technique has helped thousands of individuals with unpredictable blood sugar levels
To assist them in burning toxic fat from their essential organs and stomachs
While also naturally and successfully balancing their blood sugar levels.
Starting now
How Diabetes Can Cause Weight Loss
Insulin is a hormone the body produces to absorb sugar, or glucose, from the foods you eat. Insulin converts sugar into energy that fuels your brain, muscles, and the rest of your body.
If you have diabetes, your body either doesnt make enough insulin or it cant effectively use the insulin it does make. As a result, the sugar stays in your bloodstream instead of being converted into energy, and your blood sugar rises.
Because the sugar stays in your blood, your body doesnt get the fuel it needs. As a result, it begins burning fat and muscle for energy, which can result in unexplained weight loss.
The most common types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. With Type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin because the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells. Type 1 diabetes often develops in early childhood.
With Type 2 diabetes, the body doesnt produce enough insulin or becomes resistant to it. This type of diabetes often occurs later in life and is thought to develop due to lifestyle factors such as being overweight and inactive as well as genetic factors.
Also Check: What Kind Of Candy Can A Diabetic Eat
The Importance Of Having A Healthy Weight
A healthy weight is defined as a body mass index between 19 and 25 kg/m2. People who have a BMI between 25 and 30 kg/m2 are considered obese, and people with a BMI above 30 kg/m2 are considered morbidly obese. It is important to understand that excess weight can seriously impact your health, even if you do not have diabetes.
Anyone can become overweight or obese if they do not pay attention to their diet, physical activity levels, and overall lifestyle. Obesity is closely related to diabetes, and often a person can develop diabetes due to an unhealthy lifestyle.
It is, therefore, important to maintain a healthy weight and take steps to address the factors that lead to obesity and diabetes.
The Dilemma Of Weight Loss In Diabetes
People with diabetes receive mixed messages about weight loss frommagazines, newspapers, friends, family, and, yes, even health professionals.Few subjects have accumulated as much misleading and potentially dangerousfolklore as the subject of obesity. A common message is that losing weight isjust a matter of willpower, and if you have been losing weight and reach aplateau, its because youve lost your willpower and are no longer followingyour diet. Furthermore, for people with type 2 diabetes, the message often isthat weight loss is the answer to improving glucose control: If youjust lose 20 lb, you wont need insulin. What does research tell usabout these issues, and what should our messages as health professionals be topeople with diabetes?
Obesity is a serious worldwide problem and is associated with the risk ofdeveloping diabetes. Today, more than 1.1 billion adults worldwide areoverweight, and 312 million of them areobese. In the past20 years, the rates of obesity have tripled in developing countries that haveadopted a Western lifestyle, with the Middle East, Pacific Islands, SoutheastAsia, India, and China facing the greatest increase. Consequently, the numberof people with diabetes in these countries is expected to increase from 84million in 2000 to 228 million by 2030.
You May Like: Metformin Dosage For Weight Loss
How Long Do You Have To Take Diabetes Medications Before Weight Changes Take Effect
People taking diabetes medications often see weight changes within the first few months. For instance, much of the weight gain experienced by people taking insulin may happen during the first 6 months. This can vary from person to person, depending on different things like diet and exercise. Well discuss more details about weight changes for common diabetes medication next.
The Role Of Insulin In Weight Gain
Insulin is a hormone present in most biological life from insects to humans. Hormones are chemical messengers targeting specific cells.
In humans, insulins primary role is to regulate nutrient storage .
Consequently,it helps to store energy gained in times of abundance for times of foodscarcity. The storage hormone encourages fat accumulation and signals cells to takeup glucose from the bloodstream.
Hormones deliver their message by binding to a cells receptor. With this in mind, insulin functions in the body as a key opening the cell by matching its lock the receptor. Once insulin opens the door, glucose can enter the cell.
A rise in blood sugar levels is triggering insulin production and release from the pancreas.
Then, after the stomach and intestine have broken them down into smaller parts, different macronutrients have different effects on blood glucose and insulin levels.
Amino acidsfrom proteins have a minimal impact on blood sugar while elevating insulin. Onthe contrary, fatty acids have minimal effects on both blood glucose andinsulin.
Sugars from carbohydrates, which are chains of sugars, are significantly spiking blood glucose as well as insulin levels .
On the other hand, insufficient insulin can cause glucose to build up in the blood.
For example, thats the case when the immune system mistakenly destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas , which results in type 1 diabetes.
Recommended Reading: Diagnosing Type 1 Diabetes In Children
You May Like: Journal Articles On Type 2 Diabetes
Does Obesity Cause Diabetes
There is clearly a link between Type 2 diabetes and obesity, and researchers around the world are working to solve the puzzle of how the two are connected. Some scientists think there is a connection between body fat and hormones that regulate appetite and insulin levels. When you lose weight, and reduce your body fat, you may have better control over your diabetes.
Is Diabetes A Hindrance To Weight Loss
To R.P. : It may be more difficult to reduce weight if you have Type 2 diabetes. Because the underlying issue is insulin resistance, blood insulin levels are often elevated. Insulin is a growth hormone it alerts the body that there is sufficient sugar and that it should save energy by storing it as fat.
Also Check: Does Metformin Make You Bloated
Working With A Healthcare Team
Healthcare providers can share valuable resources with people struggling to maintain a healthy body weight.
The American Diabetes Associations 2019 guidelines state that There is not a one-size-fits-all eating pattern for individuals with diabetes, and meal planning should be individualized.
Registered dietitians can advise people about what foods to eat and avoid based on their current health status and goals. RDs can even develop personalized meal plans.
Healthcare providers can also recommend ways for people to improve their health while lowering their risk of developing diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
They can test peoples glucose and insulin levels, as well as their lipid profiles. These tests can give people an idea of their overall health status. People can use this information to track their progress toward achieving their health goals.
Certain foods can help prevent weight gain. Developing a meal plan with a balance of nutritious foods can help. Speak to a nutritionist about this, if possible.
High-quality, unprocessed foods contain less added sugar and fat. These foods increase feelings of fullness and help avoid overeating.
Foods to eat include or contain:
- whole grains
What To Do If You Think Youre Monw
Working a few small changes into your everyday habits can have a big impact on your health.
- Eat a balanced diet. Visceral fat is very responsive to diet and exercise. Eliminating processed, fried, sugary and fatty foods can help you lose visceral fat.
- Incorporate movement into your day. Aim to get 150 minutes of physical activity per week.
- Reduce your stress levels. Getting your stress levels down can lower your risk of diabetes. Try avoiding stressors, exercising more and practicing mindfulness with yoga or meditation.
- Improve your sleep. Try for 6 to 8 hours of sleep per night. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, try cutting back on screen time before bed and making sure your bedroom is dark. Dont consume caffeine for 8 hours before bedtime and limit alcohol before you go to sleep.
Don’t Miss: Maximum Dose Of Metformin Xr
Risk Factors For Type 2 Diabetes
Many factors may affect your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. They include:
- Pre-diabetes
- Being overweight or obese
- Having a family history of diabetes
- Belonging to certain high-risk ethnic populations, such as Aboriginal, African, Hispanic, Asian
- A history of gestational diabetes
Other associated conditions may include vascular disease, polycystic ovary syndrome or schizophrenia
Why Insulin Causes Weight Gain
Insulin is a hormone that is produced by the body that helps control the amount of sugar that is in the blood. Insulin acts as a gatekeeper between the blood and cells for blood sugar because it is responsible for bringing sugar into cells from the blood to be used as energy or stored for later use.
When you’re not producing enough insulin or when you become less sensitive to insulin, there ends up being elevated levels of sugar in the blood, leading to diabetes. Depending on the cause of your diabetes, your healthcare providers will recommend different types of medications to help with managing your diabetes, and one of these is insulin therapy.
The reason that insulin could cause weight gain is that when you start insulin therapy, all of the extra glucose in your blood is brought into the body to be used as energy or stored. As you become more efficient in using the carbohydrates you eat, your body stores more of that energy as fat if it is more than you use that day.
Also Check: High Diabetes Symptoms