An Australian study suggests that viral infections, like the common cold, may be linked to juvenile diabetes (Type 1), according to various reports.
The research, published in the British Medical Journal, discovered that children with Type 1 diabetes are nearly 10 times as likely to develop a viral infection than healthy kids, indicating that the virus may actually trigger the disease in some children.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales and the Institute of Endocrinology and Diabetes in Sydney analyzed 26 sets of research involving over 4,000 patients before concluding that there was a definite link between the two ailments.
“The association between enterovirus infection, detected with molecular methods, and diabetes was strong, with almost 10 times the odds of enterovirus infection in children at diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes,” wrote the authors in the study.
As the spring season for allergies and colds approaches and you have been diagnosed with diabetes, not only can a cold become a cause, but can make your diabetes worse.
The study suggests viral infections are linked to juvenile diabetes because cold viruses create stress on the system and stress can also cause havoc with blood sugars. Your body’s hormones are focused on fighting a cold and insulin production can suffer.
According to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, more than 15,000 U.S. children are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes each year. However, the organization said a regular exercise routine, healthy meal plan and constant schedule of insulin injections can combat the disease and allow children to live normal, healthy lives.
Diabetes is a pre-existing medical condition that will not only cost your more in life insurance premiums, but can also decrease your options for a policy.