Steroid-induced diabetes

What are steroids? 

Steroids are also known as corticosteroids. They are artificial versions of hormones that are naturally produced by the body. They help to reduce inflammation in your body, and may be used to treat several conditions, including:

• severe asthma
• cystic fibrosis
• arthritis 
• inflammatory bowel disease
• some types of cancers (a frequent part of chemotherapy)

There are lots of different types of steroids, but high doses of steroids that are taken orally or as an injection, are more likely to affect blood glucose levels. 

What causes steroid-induced diabetes?

Steroids can increase blood glucose levels in different ways. They can: 

• cause the liver to release more stored glucose
• stop glucose being absorbed by muscle and fat cells
• reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin.

All these things can mean too much glucose stays in the blood which can then lead to diabetes. 

Is steroid-induced diabetes permanent? 

For many people, blood glucose levels will return to normal when they stop taking the steroids. For others, steroid-induced hyperglycaemia can continue even after steroid treatment stops.

Signs and symptoms of steroid-induced diabetes

If blood glucose levels are only slightly higher than usual, there may not be any symptoms of steroid-induced diabetes at all. But as blood glucose levels rise, symptoms may appear such as: 

• going to the toilet a lot, to pass urine especially at night
• feeling very thirsty
• feeling more tired than usual 
• unexplained weight loss

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s important to let your GP know.  Your doctor may also ask you to check your blood glucose levels while you are taking the steroids.

Treating steroid-induced diabetes

Treatment for steroid-induced diabetes will depend on your individual situation. If you are only taking steroids for a short period of time, you may not need any treatment.

If you do need treatment for steroid-induced diabetes, you may need to take another type of oral medication or make some lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet and moving more.

Some people may need to take insulin injections, despite having made lifestyle changes. Your healthcare team will work with you to make sure your treatment plan is right for you. 

It’s worth noting that anabolic steroids, which may be used by some people to increase muscle mass, are different to the type of steroids we are talking about here.