Diabetes is much more than just high blood sugar levels. How diabetes affects the body depends on many factors, but it can affect almost every body system and organ. Don’t panic because this is not the case for everyone!
Some people have diabetes all their lives without any serious problems, but some might experience serious consequences on different organs.
Let’s go into more detail and see how diabetes affects your body!
Overview of Diabetes: Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that manifests with elevated blood sugar levels. But how does that happen? It happens because the body does not produce or does not use enough insulin. And insulin’s role is to convert the sugar (glucose) into energy.
The consequences of diabetes will depend on what type of diabetes you have. Here is the overview of the 2 main forms of diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes: It is an autoimmune disorder, and it occurs when the beta cells in the pancreas do not produce enough insulin. Patients with type 1 diabetes must take insulin for life. The background of this condition is genetic and is not lifestyle-related.
- Type 2 Diabetes: This condition occurs due to lifestyle factors (nutrition and exercise), and in simple terms, it is an insulin resistance. The body stops producing insulin in sufficient amounts, and it causes issues with using sugar from the blood. People with type 2 diabetes must take oral medications or use an insulin pen injection to control blood sugar levels.
Another common type of diabetes is gestational diabetes, which occurs in pregnant women, but it can and should be managed with healthy lifestyle habits to prevent type 2 diabetes for the woman and the baby.
Effects on Body Systems and Organs: What Parts of the Body Does Diabetes Affect?
There is no doubt that diabetes will affect your body in at least one way, through metabolic and endocrine changes. The base of the issue is a metabolic change that includes abnormal glucose levels and insufficient amounts of insulin.
Here are the other most common effects on the body system and organs caused by diabetes!
Endocrine and Metabolic Systems
The main change caused by diabetes is endocrine and metabolic changes. The body fails to respond properly to insulin, or there is not enough insulin, and this leads to increased glucose levels.
One common complication that might occur due to metabolic and endocrine changes is diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a condition where there are high levels of toxic chemicals, ketones, and acids.
If you notice a sweet scent in your mouth accompanied by increased thirst, urination, and fatigue, then you might have ketoacidosis. This condition usually occurs in people with type 2 diabetes.
Japanese scientists examined the period between 2005 and 2013, and they found that out of 36,674 patients with type 2 diabetes, 74 patients had diabetic ketoacidosis. This means that the incidence of this condition is 0.48 per 1000 patients in these years.
According to a recent meta-analysis that included 124,587 children, it was found that diabetic ketoacidosis incidence increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in a more severe form.
Another similar complication is hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome (HHS), which manifests with high blood sugar levels and no ketones. With this condition, you might experience dehydration and even loss of consciousness.
Thyroid Hormonal Disbalance
The thyroid gland helps insulin work properly. Thyroid dysfunction and type 2 diabetes very often co-occur and have overlapping pathologies.
It works both ways: some thyroid diseases (like hyperthyroidism, which produces too much thyroid hormone) can raise blood sugar and increase diabetes risk. On the flip side, the thyroid can also produce too little hormone (hypothyroidism), which means your body processes insulin more slowly – a real problem when you already don’t have enough insulin.
Research shows that people are more likely to have thyroid problems if they are:
- Female
- Have poor blood sugar control
- Have had diabetes for more than 5 years
- Have family members with thyroid problems
- Overweight around the waist
- Smoke
- Have diabetes complications affecting the eyes or nerves
Read More: Find out more about thyroid disease and the connection with diabetes here
Cardiovascular System
Smokers suffering from diabetes should definitely think about quitting. The reason behind this is that smoking itself increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes increases the risk for high blood pressure and cholesterol.
Out of 10 studies with 166,027 people who have Type 1 diabetes, compared to people without diabetes, the following differences were noticed:
- Heart disease: 5 times higher risk
- Coronary heart disease: 9 times higher risk
- Heart attacks: 6 times higher risk
- Heart failure: 4 times higher risk
- Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation): 1.4 times higher risk
- Stroke: 4 times higher risk
In simple terms, Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of serious heart and blood vessel problems, and some risks are almost 10 times higher than those without diabetes. To avoid such problems, you should adopt healthy habits, and you can start by quitting smoking, getting enough exercise, and switching to balanced nutrition.
If you Google “diabetes,” you might find pictures of amputated legs. However, don’t panic because this happens in severe cases. People with severe cases of diabetes have an increased risk of infections or ulcers on the feet.
Did you know?
Almost 15% with diabetes have atrial fibrillation; find out more about it here!
Circulatory And Nervous System
Diabetes also leads to decreased blood flow, which means decreased circulation, and this is the reason for cold feet and hands. So, cold hands do not always mean warm hearts, as the quote says. Sometimes it means that you should regulate your blood sugar levels. This condition is also known as peripheral neuropathy.
Researchers from China analyzed 29 studies, including 50,112 people with diabetes, to look at the chances of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
The following things were found:
- About 3 out of 10 people with diabetes (30%) develop nerve damage
- People with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to get nerve damage than those with Type 1 diabetes (Type 2 diabetes: 31.5% develop nerve damage; Type 1 diabetes: 17.5% develop nerve damage)
It was found that 25% of people had nerve damage, no matter the diabetes type.
Kidneys and Urinary Tract
Patients with diabetes should be regularly checked for kidney function to detect any kidney damage if present. This is because these patients are prone to diabetic nephropathy, and it manifests with microalbuminuria.
This condition is a public health issue worldwide, and according to studies from 1980 to 2019, the prevalence of this issue was 21.8%. Other studies say that diabetic nephropathy is more common in patients with high blood pressure. This means that every health parameter should be monitored and managed accordingly to avoid any serious complications.
Diabetic patients have an increased risk of kidney and urinary tract infections, too.
Eyes and Vision
Diabetic retinopathy is another complication that causes swollen blood vessels. This damages the vision, and in severe cases it leads to blindness.
The occurrence of diabetic retinopathy is related to HbA1c, BMI, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and hypertension.
Disclaimer: If you have eye problems and diabetes, make sure to regularly visit your ophthalmologist!
Skin and Integumentary System
High blood sugar levels might lead to dry skin and a lack of moisture. Remember to completely dry your body after bathing because not enough dry feet, especially, are susceptible to fungal infections.
This usually occurs between fingers and toes, armpits, groin, and corners of the mouth.
Acanthosis nigricans is also a common skin change in people with diabetes. People with this condition might have darkened skin patches, which are very often caused by insulin resistance.
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Since diabetes leads to decreased circulation and reduced blood supply, it directly affects the erectile function in men. This can lead to erectile dysfunction and low libido. This is not a disease; rather, it is a symptom of another problem, which is more psychological.
In women, the problem is much different. Pregnant women regularly get checked for “hidden sugar,” and this is because pregnant women might have gestational diabetes. If a woman gets diagnosed with gestational diabetes, pregnancy complications might occur.
One bad complication is developing type 2 diabetes after the pregnancy of diagnosing the baby with diabetes.
Oral and Dental Health
Sugar is bad for the teeth, but diabetes creates special challenges for oral health. High blood sugar leads to high sugar levels in your saliva, which feeds bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.
Diabetes can worsen gum disease, making it harder to treat. Damaged blood vessels in your mouth can reduce saliva production, causing dry mouth and persistent bad breath. In a vicious cycle, gum disease can also spike blood sugar as glucose leaks into infected gums.
Many diabetes medications can increase the chances of mouth infections.
Digestive and Excretory System
Diabetes can significantly impact your digestive system through both nerve damage and blood vessel problems. When nerves controlling your digestive tract become damaged, food may move through your system too slowly or unpredictably.
Gastroparesis is a serious digestive complication where stomach muscles don’t work properly, causing food to remain in your stomach longer than normal. This condition makes managing diabetes especially challenging because it becomes difficult to match insulin doses to meals when you can’t predict how quickly food will be digested.
Damaged blood vessels in your digestive system can cause various issues. For example, if your stomach doesn’t regularly cycle through its supply of digestive acid, the fluid can build up and cause acid reflux.
Common digestive symptoms caused by diabetes include feeling unusually full after eating small amounts, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. People with diabetes also face higher risks of other digestive conditions like fatty liver disease, gallstones, and certain types of bacterial overgrowth in the intestines.
Lifestyle, Screening And Prevention
All of these negative consequences can be led to a minimum when managed properly and timely!
Here is what you can do to prevent any further complications:
- Diet and weight: Balanced meals, maintaining a healthy weight
- Getting enough exercise: This boosts insulin sensitivity and circulation
- Quit alcohol and smoking: This will reduce the chances of blood sugar alterations and cardiovascular diseases
- Regular monitoring of blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels
Mental Health and Diabetes
Diabetes is not just some random disease that occurs and gets treated after a while. This is a disease that requires a lifetime commitment, and maybe that is the reason why some people suffer from serious mental health consequences.
Do you know that the prevalence of depression can be between 19 and 22%? According to the same research, people with type 1 have higher chances of depression.
However, things go the other way around as well. There is also a risk of diabetes in patients with anxiety disorders, and this is a two-way street. Researchers from Australia made a meta-analysis of almost 2 million patients from 68 studies, and they estimated the risk of diabetes in anxious patients and vice versa. They found that the prevalence of anxiety was 28% in diabetic patients, while the prevalence of diabetes in patients with anxiety disorders was 12%.
To Sum Up
How diabetes affects the body depends on many factors, such as your age, your lifestyle habits, and your current health status. As soon as you notice some of these changes, make sure to contact a doctor.
Remember that many of these side effects develop slowly over the years, which gives you enough time to make positive changes. Regular blood sugar monitoring, taking medications as prescribed, eating a healthy diet, staying physically active, and keeping up with recommended screenings can protect your long-term health.
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Original Publish Date: 4/7/2022 – Updated 6/14/2025
