Women with type 2 diabetes may be at greater risk of developing yeast infections or have more trouble fighting off vaginal bacterial infections. You might be saying to yourself, I don’t have diabetes. Well, fact is 1 in 3 adult Americans are pre-diabetic and don’t even know it. And if left undiagnosed it will turn to type 2 diabetes within 5 years. Because, 8.1 million people unaware of their condition. That’s about one in four people with diabetes that don’t know they have it.
About 1.5 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in United States every year. That’s a lot of people. Control of blood sugars is important for the whole body, but an area that isn’t much talked about is how elevated blood sugars seep into vaginal tissues and create an environment that’s more favorable for yeast infections. Yeast thrives much better when you add sugar, when you have a good balance in your body, but then you have a cake and cookie celebration, all the yeast comes celebrate too and but they celebrate harder than you.
Vaginal tissue contains a balance of microorganisms, like yeast and bacteria, but excess sugar in the blood can fuel the growth of yeast, potentially leading to an infection. Frequent urination, which can occur when glucose levels are high and the body works to rid itself of excess sugar, can add to the problem by bringing additional sugar found in the urine to the vaginal area.
women with diabetes tend to be at a greater risk of bacterial vaginosis
Also, women with diabetes tend to be at a greater risk of bacterial vaginosis, a condition that occurs when there is too much of a certain bacteria in the vagina, and can increase the chance of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) developing.
Bacterial infections can produce fevers, chills, and a foul-smelling discharge from the vagina. Antibiotics are required to treat the condition.
The normal acidic environment of the vagina provides a natural barrier to infection and irritation, since it represses the growth of bad bacteria, which prefer a less acidic environment. As long as the good bacteria count is high and the vaginal pH is acidic, bad bacteria have a very slim chance of overgrowing, making the chance of infection low. But women with diabetes tend to have a more alkaline, rather than acidic, pH, but controlling your blood sugar can help increase your acidity, thereby warding off bacterial infections. The normal vaginal pH is about 3.5 to 4.5. Lower pH readings are considered acidic, while those that are greater than 4.5 are considered alkaline.
Diabetes can also prevent women’s bodies from healing from bacterial infections. When people have high blood sugar levels, they don’t heal as well, and the immune system doesn’t act the way it should against bad bacteria.
So remember, yeast feeds off of sugar. This increase in sugar can cause yeast to overgrow, particularly in the vaginal area. Your body may develop a yeast infection in response, which in women can be an early sign of diabetes. Another good reason to try SumSweet+ and quit sugar. SumSweet+ helps to eliminate sugar cravings, burn fat, curb appetite and lowers blood sugar levels.