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covid may lead to greater risk of diabetes: study

the sars-cov-2 virus has long been thought to attack cells in the pancreas, the organ of the body responsible for insulin production.

by emma jones
published apr 01, 2022
last updated feb 24, 2025
read time 2 minute read
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read time 2 minute read
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covid may lead to greater risk of diabetes: study
insulin produced by the pancreas causes the cells to absorb sugar found in the blood, where it is stored or burned for energy. getty
in the latest edition of the many ways covid-19 has its claws firmly sunk into all of us, a new study indicates that those who have contracted the virus may have a greater risk of developing diabetes.
researchers evaluated the records of more than 180,000 patients from veteran affairs in st. louis who had had a previous covid-19 illness. compared to control groups, the covid-19 patient group had a 40 per cent greater incidence of new diabetes cases.
patients who had severe cases of covid-19 — determined by those who were hospitalized or admitted to intensive care — had almost three times the risk (276 per cent) of developing diabetes than those who had mild cases.
the patients were compared to two control groups. the first was comprised of the records of four million people before the pandemic. the second was of four million people after the start of the pandemic who had not contracted the virus.
because the study was based on records from the veteran’s association health care system, these results may not be entirely generalizable. most patients were older white men, and many had previous history of high blood pressure and/or obesity, which already put them at a greater risk of developing diabetes. more research is needed on adults from various ethnicities and medical histories to fully understand the link.

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previous research looking at 35,865 patients in germany also found that the rate of developing covid-19 was more than one quarter (1.28 times) higher than the control group, while other studies have noted increased risk of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in those who contracted with the virus.

why diabetes?

the sars-cov-2 virus has long been thought to attack cells in the pancreas, the organ of the body responsible for insulin production.
“there’s been a number of studies that do show that sars-cov-2 can attack the beta cells of the pancreas and may cause at least temporary harm, if not more permanent harm,” dr. sara cromer, assistant in medicine at mass general hospital in the division of endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism, told cnn.
cromer also added that inflammation developed during the illness can result in short-term insulin resistance, which may start a cascade of effect resulting a more permanent condition.
insulin produced by the pancreas causes the cells to absorb sugar found in the blood, where it is stored or burned for energy. in type ii diabetes, the cells aren’t as responsive to insulin, meaning the cells absorb less blood glucose and resulting in high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
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if left untreated, diabetes can result in vision issues, blindness, foot sores which can lead to infection, nerve damage or kidney issues.
high blood pressure and obesity are both risk factors for developing type ii diabetes. although there is no cure, the condition can be managed through healthy diet and exercise. in some instances, the condition can be reversed.
emma jones is a multimedia editor with healthing. you can reach her at emjones@postmedia.com or on twitter @jonesyjourn.
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