Here’s a simple eating habit to exercise your ability to maintain blood sugar. Don’t eat for 12-14 hours every day. So if your last meal finishes at 9pm do not eat again until 9am. This stresses your adrenals to maintain your blood sugar level during your “fast”. You’ll find out how able you are to sustain this by your reaction: food hunger pangs? dizziness? irritability? sleep disturbance? If you need to start with smaller time periods then do so and build up slowly. The result is lower but better managed blood sugar levels and less output of unecessary insulin.
Drug addiction and blood sugar are interconnected in various ways, especially because addiction can influence metabolic processes and how the body regulates glucose. Here’s a closer look at how drug addiction can impact blood sugar levels and why this relationship is important for both individuals struggling with addiction and health professionals who care for them:
Drug Effects on Blood Sugar Regulation
Different drugs can influence blood sugar levels in distinct ways, often depending on how they interact with the central nervous system and the body’s metabolic processes:
Stimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines): Stimulant drugs often cause spikes in blood sugar levels. They activate the “fight-or-flight” response, releasing adrenaline and other stress hormones like cortisol, which can cause the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar levels. Over time, frequent spikes in blood sugar can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Opioids (e.g., heroin, prescription painkillers): Opioids can lower blood sugar levels, sometimes to dangerous levels, due to their sedative effects. By slowing down the body’s processes, opioids reduce the liver’s release of glucose, which can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). For people with diabetes, using opioids can make blood sugar management more challenging and increase the risk of complications.
Alcohol: Alcohol affects blood sugar in complex ways. While moderate alcohol consumption may cause temporary increases in blood sugar, chronic or heavy alcohol use can lead to hypoglycemia because alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to release glucose. Heavy drinkers with diabetes face a higher risk of severe blood sugar fluctuations, which can lead to both immediate dangers (like fainting or seizures) and long-term complications.
People with substance use disorders often neglect proper nutrition, either due to lack of appetite, limited access to food, or prioritizing drug use over other needs. Poor nutrition can lead to blood sugar instability:
Irregular Eating Habits: Those struggling with addiction may skip meals or consume nutrient-poor foods, leading to irregular blood sugar levels. This can cause hypoglycemia when the body lacks a steady intake of glucose and can also contribute to metabolic issues over time.
Poor Dietary Choices: Drugs like alcohol and stimulants can lead to cravings for sugary or high-carbohydrate foods, which cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Over time, this pattern can affect insulin sensitivity and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Malnutrition: Substance use often leads to malnutrition, as the body doesn’t receive essential nutrients. Malnutrition can impair blood sugar regulation and increase the risk of conditions like hypoglycemia, even in people without diabetes.
Addiction often leads to high stress, which affects blood sugar levels. When a person experiences stress, the body releases cortisol and adrenaline, both of which raise blood sugar levels as part of the “fight-or-flight” response.