Now that we understand the mechanics of diabetes, is there anything to suggest that stress can cause diabetes (type 2)?

The usual reason explaining where stress lead to sickness is the weakening of our immunity system caused by stress. However, diabetes is not caused by weak immunity system.

Psychological stress caused by the death of a spouse, a financial crisis or other life-altering event has been associated with higher risk of developing diabetes in middle age. Many studies have shown that the abovementioned types of major life events were associated with type 2 diabetes regardless of family history of the disease, exercise or alcohol use. However, although such circumstantial evidence seems to suggest a link between a higher proportion of people under greater stress and diabetes, we cannot conclude that stress cause diabetes.

There is a theory that says that stressful life events increase the diabetes risk by increasing levels of the hormone cortisol and decreasing levels of sex steroids such as testosterone, which have been shown to influence the action of insulin.

Some researchers have tried to determine whether stress, which can be measured using the ratio cortisol/testosterone, affects insulin resistance. In the prospective study by George Davey Smith and colleagues from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, cortisol/testoterone ratio was positively associated with IHD (ischemic heart disease) mortality and incidence. Adjustment for potential socioeconomic and behavioral confounding variables had little influence on these associations, but they appeared to be mediated by components of the insulin resistance syndrome (elevated blood pressure, triglyceride levels, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and impaired glucose tolerance). This suggests that methods of reducing the cortisol/testoterone ratio may improve insulin resistance and reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD). But, it does not suggest that reducing stress can reduce the risk of diabetes.

More conclusive research findings will be needed before we can conclude that stress does indeed lead to diabetes.

Reference: succezz.com/Diabetes.html, succezz.com/stress1.html, jacobgan.com

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