Prednisone and type 2 diabetes

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi folks,

I have a not-entirely-strength-training related question - I have a relative who has type 2 diabetes, and was prescribed prednisone for another ailment.

This raised his blood sugar and eventually ended up with a hospital visit, where he was put on insulin.

My question is, does blood sugar come down naturally after cessation of prednisone, or would one be expected to be on insulin for good afterwards?

(Obviously, I understand and fully accept the disclaimer at the top of the forum, and I thank you for your time)

2

Yes, the blood sugar will be expected to improve after they come off of the prednisone, and they may be able to come back off the insulin.

The best ways to improve their blood sugars and reduce their need for medications will be to train regularly, increase their lean body mass, reduce fat mass, and improve their sleep quality/quantity. There are also some diabetes medications that can reduce blood sugar while also promoting weight loss (e.g., GLP-1 agonists and SGLT-2 inhibitors) as a beneficial “side effect”.