The human body’s stress response is designed to keep people alive. Evolutionarily, this system prepared early humans to fight or flee physical threats. In the modern era, however, the triggers are often mundane. A delayed train, a tight work deadline, or a difficult conversation sets off the same biological alarms. For individuals managing diabetes, these reactions can complicate daily disease management.
Dr. Jeremy Gilbert, an endocrinologist based in Toronto, explains the physiological chain reaction. When a person experiences stress, the body demands immediate energy. To meet this demand, it produces more sugar to feed the brain and muscles. “Stress causes a variety of physiological reactions with the endgame often being higher sugars,” Dr. Gilbert said.
How Hormones Drive Glucose Production
During stressful periods, the body releases specific hormones to help cope. Cortisol, produced by the adrenal gland, plays a major role. Adrenaline is another key player. These chemicals prepare the system to handle a crisis. “You can imagine if robbers are chasing you down the block, you’d be like freaking out and your adrenaline levels would be through the roof,” Dr. Gilbert said. “Well, you need a lot of sugar in your body to get your muscles moving so you can run away.”
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This process does not rely on recently consumed food. The liver and kidneys generate new glucose from internal reserves. The liver is responsible for roughly two-thirds of the sugar manufactured in the body, with the kidneys producing the remaining third. These organs store glucose as glycogen. During stress, they break down these reserves to fuel the perceived emergency.
This mechanism explains why fasting does not prevent blood sugar from rising during a crisis. The body creates its own fuel source regardless of external intake. In a healthy system, insulin production increases to match this new sugar. “If your pancreas doesn’t work right, then you’re not going to make the right amount of insulin,” Dr. Gilbert explains. Without sufficient insulin, the glucose remains in the bloodstream rather than moving into cells for energy.
Historically, this biological override provided a distinct survival advantage. Early humans needed the sudden burst of energy to escape predators or hunt. Modern stressors, however, do not require physical exertion.
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The Impact of Chronic Stress
Acute stress is temporary. Once the event passes, hormone levels recede. Chronic stress is different. When pressure persists for days or weeks, those hormones accumulate in the body. This constant elevation creates a persistent strain on blood sugar regulation.
“If somebody already doesn’t process sugars properly due to diabetes, then when they get in that stress state on top of the whole thing, their sugars can often be quite hard and high and more challenging to manage,” Dr. Gilbert said.
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