Get to know the various causes of fatigue in diabetics

One of the common problems experienced by people with diabetes is that the body gets tired easily. Why is this happening? Check out the full explanation below.

Causes of Diabetics Often Feel Fatigue

Fatigue is a symptom that is common in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This condition can have an impact on the quality of life of sufferers and occurs due to a number of factors.

Here are some conditions that cause people with diabetes to tire easily, including:

1. High Blood Sugar Levels

Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body controls and uses blood sugar.

When a person eats, the body breaks down the food into simple sugars or glucose. While cells use insulin to absorb glucose from the blood and then use it as energy.

For people with diabetes, the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body does not use insulin effectively. This condition causes excess glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia).

Fatigue and weakness can occur when cells don’t get enough glucose. Diabetes medications, such as insulin or metformin can help more sugar enter cells and prevent it from building up to harmful levels.

2. Low Blood Sugar

Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) can cause the body to feel tired. This is because the body or brain needs time to recover and use enough glucose to function normally.

Left untreated, hypoglycemia can be life-threatening and frequent low blood sugar can lead to a variety of medical problems.

If you experience this condition and don’t know the cause, it is important to consult a doctor because this could be a result of the treatment you are currently taking.

Not a few people with prediabetes will have low blood sugar, especially after consuming high-carbohydrate foods. This situation is called reactive hypoglycemia and can make the body weak.

3. Diabetes complications

Diabetics can develop complications that can trigger the body to feel tired often. This complication usually develops when blood sugar levels are too high for a long time.

Possible complications of diabetes that can occur, including:

• Kidney problems, including kidney failure.
• Frequent infections.
• Heart disease.
• Blindness.
• Nerve damage otherwise known as diabetic neuropathy.

Also Read: Diabetic Sufferers Are Vulnerable To Experiencing Bleeding Gums, Here’s The Explanation

4. Side Effects of Diabetes Drugs

Certain medications that can be used to treat complications of diabetes and other health problems can also cause side effects that trigger fatigue.

Medications that can cause fatigue include:

• Corticosteroids. This medication can treat inflammation, pain, and discomfort that develops due to other conditions and diseases. Corticosteroids can cause fatigue with long-term use.
• statins. Your doctor may prescribe statins to lower your levels low density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol in the blood.
• Beta-blockers. This drug is recommended for people with high blood pressure and anxiety. However, its side effect of slowing the heart rate can lead to chronic fatigue.
• diuretic. Diuretic drugs are usually used to treat high blood pressure. This medicine causes you to urinate more than usual. Diuretics can also cause fatigue through dehydration and frequent urination.

5. Weight Gain

Weight gain due to diabetes can lead to insulin resistance which then triggers high blood sugar and fatigue.

In effect, this condition also makes the body not move much and causes poor eating patterns.

6. Low Testosterone

Testosterone levels in men usually decrease when they are overweight. Lower testosterone levels are known to cause fatigue and weight gain in people with prediabetes.

Low testosterone levels can also cause men to go to the toilet more often and can interfere with sleep.

While the hormone levels in women during menopause also fluctuate and this can lead to weight gain.

7. Mental Health

Having diabetes can usually affect the mental health of sufferers. According to a 2016 study, people with diabetes may be about 2-3 times more likely to experience depression than people who don’t have the condition.

The same study found that anxiety was more common in people who knew they had diabetes.

Some of the symptoms of depression that can cause fatigue include:

• Dietary changes that affect glucose levels.
• Changes in sleep patterns.
• Waking up too early or being unable to get back to sleep.
• Lack of energy.

Also Read: Rarely Realized, Here Are 11 Early Symptoms of Diabetes You Need to Watch Out for

How to Overcome Fatigue Due to Diabetes

Treating diabetes and fatigue is most effective when considered as a whole condition. Lifestyle changes that are effective in treating fatigue due to diabetes include:

• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Exercise regularly.
• Eat healthy food.
• Maintain good sleep quality.
• Manage and reduce stress.
• Seek support from family and friends.
• Drink enough water.

In order to reduce fatigue, it is also important to properly manage diabetes and all related conditions. For that, the following steps are required:

• Monitor blood sugar levels regularly.
• Have a diet that limits refined carbohydrates and simple sugars.
• Take all prescribed diabetes medications and follow your doctor’s advice carefully.
• Seeking appropriate treatment for any associated conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and depression.

In the end, to get effective results you should follow the steps above in a disciplined manner.

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