According to a 2018 survey by Diatribe, more than 42 factors affect blood sugar. This does not only lead to biological factors such as sleep and stress, but also environmental factors such as sunburn and environmental factors such as prescription medications and supplements.
While managing your life with diabetes, taking other prescribed medications and daily vitamins can be stressful.
In this article, we list which drugs and supplements affect your blood sugar levels the most. We will also discuss why they raise or lower your blood sugar and what you can do to better manage the impact.
Always talk to your doctor before starting or stopping new medication.
Which prescription drugs affect your blood sugar levels the most?
The following medications will most significantly affect your blood sugar:
Corticosteroidsor steroids for short, are well known for causing hyperglycemia in diabetic patients. Common steroids such as prednisone, betamethasone, or hydrocortisone are liver resistant to insulin and cause significant insulin resistance in diabetic patients when taking medication.
Hormonal contraception Containing progesterone increases insulin resistance in women. This happens naturally as a way for the body to prepare for pregnancy. Diabetic women who use contraception that contains progesterone may have increased blood sugar levels throughout the entire cycle.
Blood pressure medication Flash sodium and potassium from the body (both beta blockers and diuretics). Potassium plays a crucial role in absorbing glucose into fat and muscle tissue, so without proper potassium levels can cause blood glucose levels to rise.
Statins It reduces insulin secretion in people with type 2 diabetes, and also causes overall insulin resistance in people with type 1 diabetes, both of which increase blood sugar levels.
Dopamine and epinephrineBoth are naturally secreted by the adrenal glands in response to stress, causing blood sugar spikes to prepare the body for “fighting and flying” events.
Adrenaline When used to treat severe allergic reactions, blood glucose levels naturally rise.
over the counter Cough Syrup Blood sugar levels usually increase due to the presence of sugar! Choose sugar-free cough syrup whenever possible.
General Antibioticsespecially those in the fluoroquinolone class, increase blood glucose levels by causing insulin resistance. It can also cause a large swing of blood sugar, which can leave people in hypoglycemia.
Anxiety and depression medication Atiban and barium have been shown to increase both insulin resistance and blood glucose levels. Always check with your doctor before adjusting your dose with these types of medications.
be Acne medication Accutane has been shown to increase blood glucose levels with or without diabetes by increasing insulin resistance.
Common cold medicines Containing pseudoephedrine causes a rapid increase in blood glucose levels by stimulating glycogen release from the liver and reducing the uptake of glucose into cells. Many cold medicines also contain sugar, so check the label.
aspirinit has been shown that patients’ blood sugar levels are low due to large amounts of ingestion.
quinineis taken to treat malaria, stimulates insulin release from the pancreas and causes hypoglycemia.
Which supplements affect your blood sugar the most?
Caffeineingested as a liquid or in the form of pills found in many energy and weight loss supplements, which can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels. Caffeine can cause insulin resistance in some people and can have a negative effect on blood sugar levels after meals. Caffeine is also an appetite suppressant, so the effects can be balanced, but that is definitely something to be noted.
Ginkgo Biloba It increases the breakdown of liver insulin, requiring more insulin and higher blood sugar levels.
Melatonin Not only does it help you sleep, it also increases both insulin resistance and blood pressure, leading to higher blood sugar levels.
Vitamin B3 or niacinIt is taken to reduce bad cholesterol, increases insulin resistance and increases blood sugar levels.
DHEA It is a naturally occurring hormone that is collected to treat many conditions, especially lupus. This hormone increases the body’s insulin resistance and causes higher blood sugar.
Why do certain drugs and supplements affect blood sugar levels?
It is important to remember that these drugs and supplements do not target blood sugar levels, but work to treat other diseases and defects in the body. Blood glucose levels can be an inevitable victim.
Blood glucose levels are very unstable, and while taking prescription drugs that act as stimulants, for example, can have a major impact on your blood glucose levels, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the drug is “bad” for you.
As someone who lives with diabetes, you inevitably need to take other prescription medications throughout your life. The goal is not to completely avoid other drugs due to their effects on blood glucose, but rather to manage the effects they have.
Many of these drugs and supplements are one of the hormones (DHEA, adrenaline, epinephrine, dopamine, or progesterone) that naturally raises blood sugar to prepare your body for a “combat or flight” situation.
Certain stimulants, such as caffeine and niacin, cause insulin resistance, which naturally raises blood sugar levels.
Many more drugs, such as colds and cough inhibitors, contain sugar that raises blood sugar levels when not carefully calibrated.
On the other hand, aspirin has been shown to reduce diabetes-related inflammation and thus in fact reduces blood glucose levels.
How do you determine which medication is worth taking?
Just because some drugs and supplements can have a negative effect on your blood sugar levels doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them! This requires a little more planning.
Always work with your doctor and medical team to determine which drugs and supplements you will take, how often you will take, and how much you will take to balance the benefits of the drug and supplement with the cost of your blood sugar levels.
Always talk to your doctor before you start, stop, or change your medication.
How can I better manage the effects of drugs and supplements on blood glucose?
If you have just been prescribed a medication known to cause blood sugar problems, work with your doctor to find the right dose. Make sure your doctor knows all the medications he currently employs.
If your doctor knows you have diabetes, as with steroids, you can prescribe a shorter duration, a lower dose, or a completely different medication.
Read each time you get a new prescription, read the information that comes with it and learn about the negative side effects you may experience as a person with diabetes.
Better yet, talk to your pharmacist to see if you know how drugs affect diabetes and blood sugar levels.
Here are some tips to better manage the effects of drugs and supplements on blood glucose:
- Check your blood sugar more frequently when you are taking medication
- Stick to your regular diabetes management routine and take all diabetes-related medications
- Focusing on healthy diets
- Do exercise regularly
- Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated
- Stay in touch with your medical team and warn you about ketones and lingering hyperglycemia while taking medications and supplements
- Seek emergency medical assistance if you develop a fever, vomiting, or allergic reaction with high blood sugar or ketones while taking prescription medications or supplements
As a person with diabetes, making daily adjustments with your life (and inevitably you need to take other prescription medications from time to time) can help reduce the impact that some medications and supplements have on your blood sugar levels.
