Diabetes: Science, Causes, and Lifestyle Methods to Blood Sugar Management

  October 10, 2025 Xhavid Bajrami

Diabetes: Science, Causes, and Lifestyle Methods to Blood Sugar Management

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Diabetes is a serious health condition that significantly affects the quality of life of families, individuals and communities across the world. Diabetes is ranked as one of the worldwide health conditions. In 2017, global healthcare spending on diabetes was approximately £727 billion. There are three main forms of diabetes: type 1 diabetes T1D, type 2 diabetes (T2D- diabetes mellitus), and gestational diabetes mellitus GDM. IDF International Diabetes Federation has reported and monitored diabetes prevalence at regional, national and global levels. The report shows that there is an increase in diabetes cases over time, with approximately 287 million people just in 2009. This number increased to 366 million in 2011, 382 million in 2013, 415 million in 2015 and 425 million in 2017(Saeedi et al., 2019).

The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has dramatically increased and reached an alarming rate. According to the International Diabetes Federation, an estimated 536.6 million people were living with diabetes, but in 2021, this number was suggested to be increased by 46%, with an estimated number of 783.2 million by 2045. Researchers suggest that early detection of symptoms is important because it allows the treatment to begin sooner, and also helps to prevent and not delay serious macrovascular and microvascular complications.(Ogurtsova et al., 2022).

Medication-Induced Diabetes

Some cardiovascular medications and metabolic medications, such as beta-blockers, statins, and thiazide diuretics, have been linked with a serious risk of developing type 2 diabetes. There are other drug classes associated with the risk of developing diabetes, such as corticosteroids (steroids), antipsychotics, immunosuppressants, hormonal medications, and certain antivirals, which have also been associated with disturbances in glucose metabolism. Scientific research indicates that these medications may reduce insulin sensitivity but increase glucose production in the liver, contribute to weight gain, and increase in developing diabetes, especially with the existing factors including prediabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease or genetic predisposition. Despite the side effects, these medications play an important role in treating serious conditions, including heart disease, autoimmune disorders, inflammation, hypertension and mental health conditions. Due to this reason, healthcare professionals underline that the therapeutic benefits and the cardiovascular effects of these drugs generally outweigh the possible risk of diabetes when patients are properly monitored. Lifestyle management, regular blood glucose testing, and medical supervision can help decrease the risk of developing diabetes and ensure long-term treatment (Ogurtsova et al., 2022).

Although a few biological mechanisms indicate how cardiovascular medications may lead to hyperglycaemia, such as alterations in insulin secretion, direct toxic effects on pancreatic beta cells, and reduced insulin sensitivity and increased glucose production. Due to direct cytotoxic effects that support because of the damage to pancreatic beta cells, reducing the insulin secretion may subsequently result in raised blood glucose levels, because hyperglycaemia activates the intracellular signalling pathway, and this stimulates the release of stored insulin in pancreatic cells. Thiazide diuretics may decrease insulin by causing low potassium levels (hypokalemia) and increasing the potassium gradient among beta cell membranes, and this leads to membrane hyperpolarisation. Potassium supplementation has been shown to contribute to glucose tolerance and restore insulin sensitivity, which creates effects similar to discontinuing the medication. There is another preventive method is combining thiazide diuretics with potassium-sparing agents to decrease the risk of hyperglycaemia. Furthermore, the mechanisms linked with thiazide-induced hyperglycaemia include raised free fatty acid levels, decreased insulin sensitivity, higher hepatic glucose production, and increased catecholamine activity. The higher dose of thiazides is linked with a higher risk of hyperglycaemia, and it is equivalent to 5 mg per day or more of Bendroflumethiazide. Beta blockers may also be linked to hyperglycaemia by suppressing the beginning phase of insulin release in pancreatic islet cells via alpha 1 and beta 2 adrenergic pathways. A calcium channel blocker may reduce the risk of insulin secretion and cause hyperglycaemia in case of excessive use or overdose (Widiarti et al., 2025a). Statins are well-known, widely used medications may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although their clinic contributions have been debated due to findings from randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses suggesting a possible association between statin use and an increased risk of developing new-onset diabetes (Agouridis, Kostapanos and Elisaf, 2015). Key factors of medication-induced hyperglycaemia by medication class. AP antipsychotics, GC glucocorticoids, BB beta blockers, PI protease inhibitors, PI3K phosphoinositide 3-kinase, AKT protein kinase B, CNI calcineurin inhibitors, Tori mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, TKI tyrosine kinase inhibitors, SSA somatostatin analogues, ADT androgen deprivation therapy, IFN-A interferon alpha(Widiarti et al., 2025b).

Insulin Resistance

The researcher focused mainly on two questions: the first was understanding how much insulin-stimulated muscle glycose production contributes to glucose metabolism in healthy individuals. The second question was how this process is affected in people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers used advanced 13C NMR spectroscopy to measure how glucose is converted into muscle glycogen by tracking labelled glucose molecules in muscle tissue. Once these findings were fully applied to the whole body, it was found that muscle glycogen synthesis accounted for the majority of glucose uptake and almost all non-oxidative glucose metabolism in diabetic and healthy individuals. This emphasises how impaired muscle glycogen production plays an important role in reducing glucose control in type 2 diabetes (Shulman, 2000). In skeletal muscle, insulin signalling plays a major role in increasing glucose uptake and contributing to glycogen synthesis. Insulin restores glucose transport by triggering the fusion of glucose transport type 4 GLUT4 storage vesicles to the muscle cell membrane and coordinated movement. When the insulin signalling is activated, Akt it suppresses AS160, also known as TBC1D4, which in turn activates Rab GTPase proteins accountable for managing vesicle trafficking and glucose transport (Lee, Park and Choi, 2022).

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is worldwide recognised as a condition caused by an autoimmune process that leads to destruction of the insulin-creating beta (β) cells. According to scientists, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks these cells, resulting in a reduction or complete stoppage of insulin production. A long time ago, type 1 diabetes was considered a disease affecting adolescents and children, but in the last decade, this understanding has been completely changed. Now, this understanding is known as type 1, which can develop at any age. The most well-known symptoms at the onset of type 1 diabetes include excessive thirst (polydipsia), frequent urination(polyuria), increased hunger (polyphagia) and high blood glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes requires immediate need for insulin therapy as this is one of the defining features, and the body is no longer able to produce sufficient insulin (Atkinson, Eisenbarth and Michels, 2014). Despite significant advances in scientific research and treatments, researchers continue to investigate the worldwide distribution of type 1 diabetes and the possible methods for cure or prevention. Individuals who are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes can occur at any stage of life, but it also remains one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood. The most frequently diagnosed conditions in children are between 5 and 7 years old, and also during puberty, and type 1 diabetes occurs more often in males. Most of the incidences of type 2 diabetes may be influenced by birth timing and seasonal factors. Research indicates that a higher number of cases are often diagnosed during autumn and winter, and those who are born in spring appear to have a higher risk of this condition. Additionally, these observations play a crucial role, as factors such as seasonal exposures and infections influence the disease process (Atkinson, Eisenbarth and Michels, 2014).

Type 2 Diabetes

It has been more than 50 years, and researchers know very little about the connection between type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. Insulin resistance plays an important role in the development of the disease because it is one of the leading causes of the disease and the strongest predictor of future type 2 diabetes, and it should be treated once high blood glucose levels appear. Scientific research has shown that metabolic mechanisms and genetic mechanisms contribute to insulin resistance, especially through the interaction of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), mitochondrial function, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPAR-δ). These procedures are believed to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and to affect muscle insulin sensitivity (Taylor, 2012). A few years of early laboratory studies discovered abnormalities in mitochondrial function in people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Further to this, it was identified that mild impairments in muscle mitochondrial activities in people with type 2 diabetes, and the mitochondrial dysfunction could be involved in disease development. However, muscle insulin resistance is frequently assessed using the euglycemic hyperinsulinemia clamp technique, and it is considered a crucial factor in the development of type 2 diabetes. The disease is closely linked to insulin resistance in the liver rather than in muscle tissue, but researchers indicate that calorie restriction in people with type 2 diabetes has proven that reducing calorie intake decreases liver fat and it improves hepatic insulin sensitivity. The benefit of this is that it normalises fasting blood glucose levels (Taylor, 2012).

Understanding the Symptoms of Diabetes

The classic symptoms of diabetes, increased hunger (polyphagia), excessive thirst (polydipsia) are mainly observed in type 1 diabetes due to the rapid onset of severe hyperglycaemia. Those symptoms can also appear when blood glucose levels are very high in type 2 diabetes. Other symptoms are weight loss, persistent fatigue and body pain.

Nutrition and Diabetes

Nutritional management plays an important role in diabetes mellitus, and its impact on insulin resistance has been the main focus of education and research for many years. In recent research, the focus has been on the quality of dietary fats and their influence on diabetic treatment and insulin resistance. It was also mentioned that dietary fats interact with physical activities to affect insulin sensitivity, and consuming rich foods in carbohydrates (Vessby et al., 2000). Therefore, metabolic abnormalities in diabetes and cardiovascular disease are associated with atherosclerotic disease and linked to abdominal obesity and insulin resistance. Lifestyle intervention, including dietary improvement and physical activity, can significantly improve the health of individuals with diabetes and can influence multiple aspects of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity (Vessby et al., 2000).

Physical Exercise and Diabetes Management

Individuals with diabetes should consult a medical professional and undergo a medical evaluation before starting exercises or regular physical activity. Detecting any possible risk allows healthcare professionals to create an exercise plan that maximises benefits without causing harm during the exercises. Some of these guidelines are recommended by The Health Professional’s Guide to Diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2004). Exercise sessions should include a proper guideline, warm-up and cool-down periods, for example, a 5 to 10 minutes warm-up of light aerobic activity, including walking or cycling in a leisure centre, which prepares the lungs, heart, muscle for increased intensity. Once the exercises are complete, gently stretch for 5 to 10 minutes and then do a cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. Physical exercises are recommended three to four times a week for 30 to 60 minutes, and have resulted in reducing HbA1c by 10–20%, especially in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Evidence from multiple clinics demonstrates that exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reduces plasma insulin levels and weight loss may help reduce the risk or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2004).

Historical and Lifestyle Perspective on Diabetes Prevention

In the real world, diabetes is both practical and achievable. The major cause of developing diabetes is excessive consumption of calories for long periods, reduced physical activity, and high intake of proteins and fats. Maintaining a balanced diet and increasing physical activity can play an important role in reducing the risk of developing diabetes (Shi, 2016). In one of the Chinese medical texts, the Yellow Emperor’s Canon, which is more than 2000 years old, states that diabetes as condition associated with consuming sweet food and the development of obesity (Lee, Park and Choi, 2022).

Conclusion

Diabetes is a worldwide health challenge and a complex condition that affects millions of people in the world. According to scientific research, show that diabetes is linked to insulin resistance, genetic, metabolic dysfunction and medical use. Understanding the difference type 2, type 1 and gestational diabetes helps improve treatment, early detection, and long-term management. Maintaining a regular diet balance, physical activity, proper nutrition, and monitoring properly play an important role in monitoring blood glucose levels and reducing organ damage and complications, including cardiovascular disease. Early detection, continued lifestyle treatment, and appropriate treatment can maintain a good quality of life and successfully manage diabetes. Increasing public awareness, education, and using strategies to prevent it remain essential for the worldwide burden of diabetes and increasing overall population health.

Medical Disclaimer

I am not a medical professional. This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, exercise, or lifestyle.

References

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  • American Diabetes Association (2004) ‘Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes’, Diabetes Care, 27(suppl_1), pp. S58–S62. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2337/diacare.27.2007.S58 .
  • Atkinson, M.A., Eisenbarth, G.S. and Michels, A.W. (2014) ‘Type 1 diabetes’, The Lancet, 383(9911), pp. 69–82. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60591-7 .
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  • Saeedi, P. et al. (2019) ‘Global and regional diabetes prevalence estimates for 2019 and projections for 2030 and 2045: Results from the International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas, 9th edition’, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 157, p. 107843. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2019.107843 .
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  • Shulman, G.I. (2000) ‘Cellular mechanisms of insulin resistance’, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 106(2), pp. 171–176. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI10583 .
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