How Dehydration Can Spike Your Blood Sugar

Living with diabetes can make you more prone to dehydration and its complications. Here’s what you need to know.

Dehydration happens when your body loses more water than you take in from drinking. People living with diabetes can get dehydrated more quickly, but can dehydration cause high blood sugar? Not surprisingly, the answer is yes.

To be honest, sometimes it feels like a change in the weather can spike my blood sugar. Though I can’t control the weather, I can control how much water I drink to help me stay on top of my hydration goals. Staying hydrated while managing diabetes is crucial to staying healthy.

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How does dehydration affect diabetes?

If you’re feeling thirsty, you’re likely already feeling a bit of dehydration. The other symptoms of dehydration include:

• dark yellow urine (the more dehydrated you are, the darker your urine)
• dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling tired
• dry mouth
• headaches
• nausea
• muscle cramps

While dehydration can affect anyone, people living with diabetes are more likely to become dehydrated and experience its complications.

Being dehydrated can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. When your body doesn’t have enough fluids, it conserves water, making your blood more concentrated. This will cause elevated blood sugar levels.

Diabetic ketoacidosis

Chronic hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can cause increased urine (aka polyuria), a common symptom of diabetes.

Kidney function is already a concern for people living with diabetes. Additional strain on the kidneys caused by dehydration can increase the risk of kidney damage or chronic kidney disease.

Severe dehydration can also lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is a serious diabetes complication that can be potentially life threatening.

DKA happens when the body produces high levels of ketones. It can be brought on by illness when you’re unable to eat or drink normally, which makes blood sugar management more difficult.

Signs of early DKA include being very thirsty and urinating often, which are also common symptoms of dehydration. If left untreated, more severe symptoms can appear, including:

• fast, deep breathing
• dry skin and dry mouth
• a flushed face
• fruity-smelling breath
• headache
• muscle stiffness or body aches
• exhaustion
• nausea and vomiting
• stomach pain

Tips for staying hydrated

Staying hydrated doesn’t guarantee you won’t have issues maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, but it is something you should stay on top of to avoid any complications of not getting enough fluids.

1. Track how much water you drink

It can be helpful to track your water consumption to see where you fall in terms of recommended daily water intake.

Tracking your ounces, blood sugars, and other dehydration symptoms may help you recognize the relationship between your intake and how it affects your glucose levels.

2. Alternate between caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages

Drinks with diuretic properties can contribute to fluid loss and dehydration. Caffeine is a natural diuretic, but don’t worry — you don’t have to give up your coffee!

Alternating between caffeinated and decaffeinated drinks throughout the day can help balance any fluid loss caused by caffeine.

3. Monitor your blood sugar levels

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is important, especially when managing dehydration. High glucose levels can contribute to fluid loss through increased urination. If you notice your blood sugars are often out of the target range set by your doctor, consider contacting your doctor to discuss treatment options.

4. Incorporate hydrating foods

Eating well is a huge component of successfully managing diabetes. One way to increase hydration is by eating foods with a high water content.

Fruits, vegetables, and broth-based soups are a good way to boost your fluid intake and support hydration.

5. Be aware

Living with diabetes requires a great deal of self-awareness. Stay mindful of hydration throughout the day, especially during exercise, in extreme weather conditions, or during illness.

Pay extra attention to thirst cues and respond right away to prevent dehydration.

The takeaway

Dehydration poses a significant risk to people living with type 2 diabetes because it affects blood sugar levels and overall health. By incorporating the tips above for staying hydrated, we can lessen the effects of dehydration and better manage our diabetes.