Besides insulin… what hormones help manage blood sugar?

Diabetes is a hormonally controlled disease, with changes in blood sugar levels due to insulin action affecting prognosis. However, blood sugar levels can also be affected by hormones other than insulin. What are they?

 

Incretin hormones: GLP-1 and GIP Representative hormones that directly influence blood sugar regulation are GLP-1 and GIP. GLP-1 and GIP are secreted by the digestive system after food intake and regulate pancreatic insulin secretion based on blood sugar levels. Professor Park Sang-joon of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital stated, "GLP-1 and GIP hormones are excellent at regulating blood sugar levels and are currently used as diabetes treatments. They will also contribute to the development and research of new drugs in the future."

 

GLP-1 analogues, drugs used as diabetes and obesity medications, work similarly to GLP-1 when injected subcutaneously. They stimulate insulin secretion, which lowers blood sugar, suppress glucagon secretion, which raises blood sugar, and slow gastrointestinal motility, maintaining a prolonged feeling of fullness. Beyond injections, GLP-1 secretion can be increased in daily life by: chewing food slowly and thoroughly; and consuming foods that are slow to digest and absorb.

◇Sex hormones: estrogen and testosterone

 

Some hormones also indirectly influence blood sugar regulation. The female hormone estrogen plays a role in regulating blood sugar homeostasis and energy balance. A study conducted by the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands found that diabetic patients receiving postmenopausal hormone therapy with estrogen and progesterone experienced an average decrease in fasting blood sugar of 1.15% and an average decrease in glycated hemoglobin of 0.56%. Testosterone increases basal metabolic rate and muscle mass, but a decrease in testosterone leads to the accumulation of visceral fat, which then readily enters the bloodstream, interfering with sugar metabolism.

However, sex hormones have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels, so they aren't used to treat diabetes. Experts say there's no need to intentionally increase sex hormone levels to control blood sugar. Professor Park Sang-joon stated, "Hormones like estrogen and testosterone are sufficient as long as they maintain an appropriate balance that doesn't increase insulin resistance." He added, "Rather than focusing on these hormone levels, it's more advisable to control diabetes through regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and medications that lower insulin resistance."

 

◇Stress hormone: Cortisol

 

The stress hormone cortisol directly and indirectly affects blood sugar levels. Cortisol is secreted in various situations, primarily in response to fear and stress. In response to external stimuli, more blood is released, muscles tense, and cortisol is secreted, raising blood sugar and blood pressure. Cortisol also reduces the function of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, making blood sugar control more difficult. Furthermore, repeated stress that reduces sleep quality disrupts circadian rhythms, affecting hormone secretion and triggering a vicious cycle of elevated blood sugar levels. Professor Cho Seo-eun of the Department of Psychiatry at Gachon University Gil Hospital stated, "If stress is repeated and chronic, it can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which produces cortisol, leading to abnormal hormone secretion. Therefore, efforts are needed to escape stressful situations that cause the brain to become hyperaroused and relax the nervous system."

Professor Jo Seo-eun suggests the following methods to relieve stress in daily life:

 

Just exhale longer than inhale, focusing on the breath along the respiratory pathways—mouth, nose, and lungs. It's best to gradually increase the breathing training time to two, five, and ten minutes. .

 

It is also recommended to practice with meditation to increase concentration. .

 

Muscle relaxation exercises are also effective. These involve tensing and then releasing specific muscles, such as tightly closing and opening your eyes, or raising your shoulders and then lowering them. .

 

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How to relieve everyday stress

Using lunch time

It's good to do it once