Relationship
between Blood Sugar and Cholesterol
Blood
sugar is in the form of
glucose. After eating a meal, it is normal for blood sugar
concentration to
rise. Usually for an hour or two while muscles and cells absorb and use
the
glucose for energy after which the levels return to normal. Insulin, a
hormone
secreted by the pancreas, facilitates the glucose-absorption process.
It helps
the body utilize blood glucose by binding with receptors on cells like
a key
fits into a lock allowing the blood sugar to enter the cells. When
glucose
levels remain high for longer than they should, blood sugar may oxidize
protein
which causes damage to internal organs and this creates a cause for
concern. Blood
sugar levels remaining high, is usually an indication of the cells
becoming
insulin resistant. Insulin resistance occurs when the normal amount of
insulin
secreted by the pancreas is not able to unlock the door to
cells. To
maintain normal blood glucose concentrations, the pancreas secretes
additional insulin.
In some cases (about 1/3 of the people with insulin resistance), when
the body
cells resist or do not respond to even high levels of insulin, glucose
builds
up in the blood resulting in high-blood glucose or type 2 diabetes.
The
exact cause leading to insulin resistance
is not known. But type 2 diabetes is on the rise as more and more
people in the U.S.
become
obese, physically inactive, or both. Diabetes is preceded by
obesity 90
percent of the time. Obesity and physical inactivity aggravate insulin
resistance. Also, people who are insulin resistant typically
have an
imbalance in their blood lipids (blood fat), with an increased level of
triglycerides (blood fat) and a decreased level of HDL (good)
cholesterol. These imbalances in triglycerides and HDL
cholesterol
increase the risk of heart disease. Hence, diabetics and
prediabetics total
cholesterol levels tend to be dangerously high.
Insulin
resistance and high
cholesterol go hand in hand because obesity and physical inactivity are
two of
the risk parameters for high total cholesterol. Cholesterol concerns
the amount
of fat in the blood and diabetes concerns the level of glucose in the
blood. When
both conditions get together, the consequences can be quite destructive
and
deadly.
As
people deposit fat around their
waistlines, their blood sugars tend to rise. Belly fat is metabolically
different than the fat that accumulates elsewhere in the body and is
really
dangerous. Fat that settles around the waist produces some harmful
substances
that cause inflammation and clotting and also contribute to the
development of
diabetes. It can be said that belly fat is not only hazardous from a
diabetic
viewpoint but also from an atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries
one as
well.
High
cholesterol and diabetes have
the same basic causes. They are related like two brothers or two
sisters. Most
diabetics have to work closely with their heart doctors as well as any
specialists in diabetes. And many obese-sedentary persons with high
cholesterol
are only a few steps away from becoming insulin resistant and
full-blown type 2
diabetics.
What
is the treatment for high
blood sugar? The same as for high cholesterol: eating heart-healthy
foods, getting
the weight under control, and exercising at least 30 minutes a day for
five or
more days a week.
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