Can Infection Raise Blood Sugar Levels in Nondiabetics? 6 Possible Effects

Ever contemplated why you feel extra thirsty or sluggish during the battle against a cold? Infections, even minor ones, can send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster—yes, even though you don’t have diabetes. Your body’s stress response kicks in, flooding your system with hormones that tell your liver to pump out more glucose while making your cells resist insulin. The result? A temporary spike that could leave you feeling off. But what exactly triggers this, and how can you manage it? Let’s examine the six ways infections mess with your blood sugar and what you can do about it.

How Infections Trigger Blood Sugar Spikes in Nondiabetics

Many infections, even common ones, can send your blood sugar soaring—even in the case that you don’t have diabetes. When your body fights infections, it releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones ramp up glucose production in your liver, giving you energy to battle the illness.

At the same time, your immune response triggers inflammation, which can lead to insulin resistance. This means your cells struggle to use glucose efficiently, causing blood sugar spikes. Severe infections—like pneumonia or UTIs—may push levels into hyperglycemia territory, even though you’ve never had diabetes.

That’s why monitoring your blood sugar during illness matters, especially in the event you feel unusually fatigued or thirsty. Your body’s under stress, and those numbers can reveal more than you realize.

Common Infections That May Elevate Blood Glucose Levels

You may notice your blood sugar rising whenever you have the flu, as your body releases stress hormones to fight the virus.

UTIs can also spike glucose levels, especially should your immune system be working hard to clear.

Even pneumonia can push your blood sugar higher, since your body needs extra energy to recover.

Flu and Blood Sugar

Whenever your body fights the flu, it doesn’t just battle the virus—it can also send your blood sugar soaring, even though you don’t have diabetes. The stress from the infection triggers your immune system to release cortisol, which tells your liver to pump out more glucose.

At the same time, your insulin sensitivity drops, making it harder for your cells to absorb that extra sugar. This combination can lead to stress hyperglycemia, a temporary spike in blood glucose levels.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Hormonal surge: Cortisol and adrenaline flood your system, pushing your liver to release stored glucose.
2. Insulin resistance: Your cells become less responsive to insulin, leaving sugar in your bloodstream.
3. Dehydration: Fever and lack of fluids thicken your blood, concentrating sugar levels.

Monitoring blood sugar during the flu helps catch hyperglycemia promptly, so you can stay on top of your health.

UTIS Impact Glucose

Because UTIs trigger your body’s stress response, they can send blood sugar levels soaring even though you’ve never had issues with glucose before.

Whenever you get a urinary tract infection, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol, which tell your liver to pump out extra glucose for energy. This can lead to elevated blood glucose, even though you’re usually fine.

Plus, inflammation from the infection can cause insulin resistance, making it harder for your cells to use that sugar properly.

Dehydration from frequent urination also thickens your blood, concentrating sugar levels further.

In case you’re a nondiabetic with a UTI, monitoring blood sugar helps catch spikes promptly. Should levels stay high, seek medical intervention—it’s not just about the infection but keeping glucose regulation in check too.

Pneumonia Raises Levels

While fighting pneumonia, your body’s stress response can send blood sugar levels climbing, even though you’ve never had issues before. The infection triggers an immune response that floods your system with hormones like glucagon and epinephrine, pushing your glucose higher.

Inflammation from pneumonia can also cause insulin resistance, making it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar effectively.

Here’s what happens:

1. Hormones surge: Stress hormones released during pneumonia signal your liver to dump extra glucose into your bloodstream.
2. Insulin struggles: Inflammation makes your cells less responsive to insulin, so sugar stays in your blood longer.
3. Recovery slows: Elevated glucose levels can weaken your immune response, prolonging illness.

Should you be managing blood sugar with pneumonia, monitoring is key. Severe hyperglycemia could need medical intervention, especially with existing health conditions.

Stress Hormones and Their Role in Blood Sugar Regulation During Illness

Upon fighting an infection, your body kicks into high gear, and stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine start surging.

These hormones trigger glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, breaking down stored glucose and creating new sugar to fuel your immune response.

Cortisol also causes insulin resistance, making it harder for cells to absorb glucose, which can lead to temporary hyperglycemia.

Your liver ramps up glucose metabolism, releasing more sugar into your bloodstream to give your immune system the energy it requires.

While this natural response helps you fight off the infection, it can disrupt blood sugar regulation, even though you don’t have diabetes.

The surge in stress hormones guarantees your body has the resources to combat illness, but it’s why you may notice higher blood sugar levels while you’re sick.

Symptoms of High Blood Sugar During an Infection

You may notice you’re thirstier than usual and running to the bathroom more often in case your blood sugar spikes during an infection.

Feeling worn out or weak even after resting can also signal high glucose levels.

Blurry vision or headaches may creep in, making it harder to focus at the time your body’s already fighting off illness.

Increased Thirst and Urination

As your body fights an infection, you could notice feeling thirstier than usual or making more trips to the bathroom—and that’s not just because of a fever or extra fluids.

High blood sugar during an infection can trigger these symptoms due to hormonal changes like rising cortisol levels, which spike glucose. At the time blood sugar climbs too high, your kidneys work overtime to flush out excess glucose through urine, causing osmotic diuresis.

This leads to dehydration, making you even thirstier.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Hormonal surge: Stress hormones like cortisol raise blood sugar, worsening thirst and urination.
2. Kidney overload: Excess glucose spills into urine, pulling water with it (osmotic diuresis).
3. Dehydration cycle: Losing fluids faster than you replace them keeps blood sugar high.

If symptoms persist, seek medical evaluation to rule out persistent high blood sugar.

Fatigue and Weakness

Fatigue creeps in like an uninvited guest as your blood sugar climbs during an infection, leaving you sapped of energy even after rest.

Whenever infections trigger your body’s stress response, elevated blood sugar levels can make it harder for cells to use glucose efficiently, leaving you feeling weak and drained.

Insulin resistance could also develop, disrupting glucose metabolism and worsening fatigue. Even though you’re nondiabetic, prolonged high blood sugar over 140 mg/dL can cause these symptoms.

Staying hydrated helps, but your muscles still struggle to produce energy, amplifying the exhaustion.

The inflammation from infections compounds the problem, making every movement feel heavier.

Listen to your body—rest, hydrate, and monitor how you feel. In case fatigue lingers, it could be time to check your blood sugar.

Blurred Vision and Headaches

Blurred vision and headaches can sneak up on you as your blood sugar spikes during an infection, making it tough to ignore what’s happening inside your body. As stress hormones flood your system, they push your blood sugar higher, leading to hyperglycemia. This can cause fluid shifts in your eyes, blurring your vision, while dehydration from elevated blood sugar levels triggers throbbing headaches.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Fluid imbalance: High glucose pulls fluid from your lenses, making focus harder—hence the blurred vision.
2. Dehydration: Elevated blood sugar makes you pee more, drying you out and tightening those headache muscles.
3. Stress response: Infections ramp up stress hormones, worsening fluctuations in blood glucose levels.

Monitoring blood sugar helps catch these symptoms promptly. Stay hydrated and keep an eye on those numbers—your head and vision will thank you.

Managing Blood Sugar Levels When Sick

Whenever you’re sick, your body works harder to fight off infection, and that can send your blood sugar levels soaring. Stress hormones like cortisol spike, making it harder to manage glucose. Stay ahead by drinking plenty of water—hydration helps flush excess sugar and keeps symptoms in check. Eat small meals with high-fiber foods to steady your blood sugar. Monitor levels closely; should they hit 240 mg/dL or higher, get medical attention.

Keep stress low and prioritize rest—your body needs all the help it can get.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Infection-Related Hyperglycemia

Because infections can send your blood sugar soaring, comprehending the timing to get help is critical.

Should your blood sugar levels stay high for too long, it can lead to serious issues like diabetic ketoacidosis, especially in the event that you’re already struggling with glucose regulation.

Here’s the moment to call a healthcare professional:

1. Your random blood sugar test shows levels above 200 mg/dL—this could mean the infection is messing with your body’s ability to manage sugar.
2. You have symptoms of high blood sugar like extreme thirst, frequent urination, or unexplained fatigue that won’t go away.
3. Prolonged hyperglycemia lasts more than a day or two, especially with fever or vomiting.

Don’t wait—getting medical attention promptly can prevent bigger problems.