Does Diabetes Cause Weight Loss or Weight Gain?

Weight changes—loss or gain—are common in people managing diabetes. While intentional weight loss can improve blood sugar control, unexpected changes can signal other issues. Let’s explore why diabetes affects weight and how you can manage it. 

Can Diabetes Cause Weight Loss?

Yes. Even though purposeful weight loss is recommended in diabetic treatments, uncontrolled and unintentional weight loss can also happen to people with diabetes. Unexplained weight loss, especially when paired with increased thirst or frequent urination, may signal uncontrolled diabetes or another health condition.

If you are diabetic and losing weight without trying, it’s important to contact your doctor. Sudden or unexplained changes in weight could indicate that your blood sugar levels are not well managed. A healthcare provider can help determine the cause and adjust your treatment plan to prevent further complications related to losing weight without trying diabetes.

Why Does Diabetes Cause Weight Loss?

Diabetes mellitus reduces your body’s production and/or its response to insulin, which is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels by helping your body convert glucose into energy. If cells can’t create or use enough insulin to convert glucose into energy, they may think your body’s starving and start consuming muscle and body fat instead. 

Rapid weight loss with diabetes can also occur:

• If blood sugars are high in a diabetes patient, it can make them urinate frequently, and this results in dehydration as a possible cause of weight loss.
• Muscle breakdown can also occur if blood sugars are too high, which can cause unhealthy weight loss.

What Kind of Diabetes Makes You Lose Weight?

It’s common for people with Type 1 Diabetes to experience uncontrolled weight loss, but it can happen to people with Type 2 Diabetes as well. Weight loss can often be an early sign of Type 1 Diabetes because the body isn’t able to produce enough insulin, leading to high blood glucose and weight loss as the body starts breaking down fat and muscle for energy. If you’re diabetic and losing weight without trying, talk with your doctor to check your blood sugar levels and ensure your condition is properly managed.

Insulin and Weight Gain

Insulin is a hormone that helps your body regulate blood sugar by allowing glucose to enter your cells for energy. However, when insulin levels are consistently high—whether from medication, diet, or insulin resistance—it can also signal the body to store more fat. This means that while insulin is essential for managing diabetes, it can sometimes contribute to weight gain if blood sugar and calorie intake aren’t carefully balanced.

If you’ve ever wondered, “can insulin make you gain weight,” the answer is yes, but it usually depends on factors like dosage, diet, and activity level. People who use insulin or experience insulin resistance may notice changes in how their body stores energy, making it easier to gain weight even with healthy habits. Understanding this connection can help you work with your healthcare team to manage your diabetes effectively and avoid becoming a diabetes weight gainer.

Does Diabetes Cause Weight Gain?

Exercising, eating right, and maintaining a healthy weight are at the core of every Type 2 diabetes treatment plan. For some people, that’s enough. But when it’s not, insulin therapy is a treatment option that can help. Unfortunately, weight gain is one of the possible side effects of insulin treatment. For diabetes patients who need to control both diabetes and their weight, this can become a frustrating cycle. You may feel disheartened when you feel that the treatment is part of the problem. With diabetes, getting your blood sugar under control is an essential task. Insulin is used because it works when other treatments don’t or are contraindicated (shouldn’t be used because it’s harmful to that particular person). The cost of insulin varies, and lower-cost insulin types are associated with more weight gain. 

Weight and Diabetes: How to Control Fluctuations

Below, we’ll outline specific strategies for controlling weight fluctuations in patients with diabetes.

How to Control Weight Loss Due to Diabetes

If you’re a diabetic experiencing unexplained weight loss it’s important to see your healthcare provider as soon as possible. The reason it’s so important is that other conditions could be contributing to the weight loss, including:

• Thyroid issues
• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s disease
• Cancer

Here are some things you can do if you’re a diabetic currently experiencing weight loss without trying, including but not limited to:

• Keeping track of your calorie intake.
• Eating full-fat dairy products.
• Limiting caffeine and avoiding low-calorie foods.
• Adding oil to vegetables and greens.
• Eating healthy, high-calorie foods.
• Eating smaller portions more frequently.
• Increasing protein intake.
• Adding resistance training as a part of your workout routine.
• Adding nutritional supplements to your diet.

How to Manage Uncontrolled Diabetes Weight Gain

If you’re gaining weight and have diabetes, you can make some adjustments that can help, including:

• Increase exercise and adjust your diet. Talk to your doctor and to a nutrition specialist about a food plan that takes the insulin effects into account. You can also work a little more activity into your daily routine, which may mean adjusting your insulin level. Make sure to keep your doctor informed and keep working on good diet and exercise habits.

• Reassess your medications. If exercise and reducing your calorie intake isn’t helping offset weight gain, try evaluating what type of insulin you’re taking. Insulin analogs (modified human insulin) may cause less weight gain. There are some medications for Type 2 diabetes that can cause weight loss as a side effect, so talk with your doctor to see if those are appropriate for you.

• Discuss options with your doctor. To understand all the reasons you might be gaining weight, it’s always best to talk with your doctor. Your doctor can tell you which of your medications might have weight gain as a side effect and what alternatives are available. 

Learn More About Weight and Diabetes Management from Baptist Health

To learn more about weight fluctuation and diabetes, call 1.844.608.1644 or visit our provider directory to find a Baptist Health Endocrinologist near you.

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