If you have diabetes, you may find that many things can affect your blood sugar, such as eating too much, missing snacks, the old cliché of stress, and so on. But did you know that aging can make blood sugar more difficult to control?
There are many changes that occur in the body as we age. If patients become lazier when they get up after many years, they gain weight. Lack of exercise and the extra weight can make blood sugar levels too high. As we age, the body does not use insulin as effectively as it did when we were younger.
The body also begins to produce less of some hormones, including growth hormone. Women produce less estrogen and progesterone, and men typically produce less testosterone. As we age, the body is also more susceptible to diseases and infections that can cause elevated blood sugar.
Don’t worry too much. Even in middle age, you don’t necessarily have to make big changes to manage your diabetes. But it’s always good to know what’s possible, and it’s good to be prepared.
How age-related hormone changes affect women
As women age, hormone changes around menopause often lead to hot flashes, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Declines or surges in these hormones can affect not only mood and life, but also blood sugar. Therefore, patients need to test their blood glucose levels more frequently and make more adjustments.
If you have type 1 diabetes, the closer you get to menopause, the more you need to pay attention to low blood sugar levels. This may be a sign that the body’s hormone levels are dropping and that more insulin is needed. Therefore, it is important to know the difference between low blood sugar and low mood or other symptoms of pre-menopause.
People with type 1 diabetes go through menopause earlier, while people with overweight type 2 diabetes go through menopause earlier but later, although they also go through menopause earlier. This is because estrogen doesn’t drop as fast in heavier women.
As your body changes, it’s easy to confuse the symptoms of menopause with those of high or low blood sugar. Dizziness, sweating, irritability, and lack of concentration can all be caused by hormonal changes or high/low blood sugar. The only way to be sure (and the safest way) is to get tested. However, too frequent testing can be emotionally draining. If you are worried, then ask your doctor or diabetes educator for help in figuring out how often it is appropriate to test.
If you can’t keep your blood sugar levels where they need to be, your doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
People with diabetes who have gone through menopause may have a slightly higher risk of urinary tract and vaginal infections. The drop in estrogen levels during menopause can lead to vaginal dryness and other symptoms.
How age-related hormone changes affect men
Testosterone is a hormone that helps control sex drive, muscle mass, and strength. As men age, levels of this hormone naturally decline. Low testosterone levels can lead to insulin resistance, which means the body’s cells don’t respond to insulin. And testosterone therapy can improve a patient’s blood sugar levels.
How do you stay healthy in midlife?
It turns out that what you do to treat diabetes as you move into middle age is not much different from what you’ve been doing to stay healthy all along:
- Follow diabetes. This involves tracking blood glucose levels and contacting your doctor if they are over the limit and you can’t figure out why. Next, record the results of the tracking and discuss them with your doctor.
- Watch your weight.
- Watch your weight.
- Take a healthy diet.
- Take a healthy diet. Get plenty of vegetables, choose whole grains, and choose lean protein and low-fat dairy products.
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. This will give you more energy and improve your mood.
Do something that raises your heart rate (like a brisk walk) and add strength training (like lifting weights) to get the most health benefits.