beyond blood sugar: the hidden connections of type 2 diabetes
understanding how type 2 diabetes affects vital organs — including the heart, liver and kidneys — can help prevent complications
published dec 09, 2025
last updated dec 11, 2025
4 minute read
4 minute read
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novo nordisk canada inc.
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of a client.
if you’re one of the more than four million canadians living with diabetes, no doubt you already know that managing your blood sugar is key to helping you stay healthy.
what may come as a surprise, however, is that type 2 diabetes (t2d) is linked with an increased risk of other chronic conditions that can impair your health and quality of life. the good news? understanding these connections means you can take action early to protect your long-term health.
“high blood glucose can damage many different organs in the body,” stresses dr. alex abitbol, an endocrinologist and assistant medical director at lmc diabetes & endocrinology in oakville, ont. “what very few people understand is that diabetes is progressive — that’s just the biology of the disease.”
case in point: a recent survey found that 60 per cent of canadians didn’t know that t2d is related to chronic kidney disease (ckd), a serious and often silent complication that can ultimately lead to kidney failure.
“type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in canada,” notes dr. jill trinacty, an endocrinologist at lmc in ottawa. “over time, high blood sugar levels can silently damage tiny blood vessels in the kidneys, reducing the organs’ ability to filter waste and rid the body of excess fluid.”
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once kidney function falls below a certain level, the main treatment options are dialysis and kidney transplant. neither is a perfect solution. people on dialysis can experience symptoms such as fatigue, severe itching and joint pain. as for transplantation, due to a shortage of donor organs, in 2024, over 2,900 canadians were awaiting a kidney.
while these realities can be hard to face, knowledge is empowering. “diabetes may be progressive, but there’s a lot we can do now to slow that progression,” says dr. trinacty. “for example, screening for changes in kidney and liver function early can help reduce the risk of serious complications,” she adds.
in addition to ckd, other key health concerns that can occur alongside t2d are obesity, cardiovascular disease (cvd) and an advanced form of fatty liver disease known as mash (metabolic-associated steatohepatitis).
obesity
the medical community now recognizes that obesity isn’t due to a lack of willpower — it’s a chronic disease.
and t2d and obesity are often intertwined, with each affecting the other. for example, excess body fat, particularly deep in the abdomen, makes the body less sensitive to insulin, which spurs t2d progression.
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“excess fat can be a driver of inflammation, diabetes and many other complications,” says dr. abitbol. dr. trinacty adds that consequently, “if we can address diabetes and obesity together, it can often help prevent complications.”
cardiovascular disease (cvd)
diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and people with t2d are two to four times more likely to die prematurely from cvd compared to those who don’t have diabetes.
conditions that commonly go hand-in-hand with cvd and t2d — high blood pressure, high ldl cholesterol, obesity and inflammation — further hasten heart and blood vessel damage.
“managing glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise and other lifestyle factors can help prevent heart complications in the long term,” says dr. trinacty. “these complications can take years to develop — and often do so without any signs or symptoms until it’s too late.”
mash
up to 70 per cent of individuals with t2d have some form of fatty liver disease and a portion of these will ultimately develop mash. obesity further increases the likelihood and severity of mash.
the inflammation and scarring that mark mash can, if left unmanaged, lead to cirrhosis or liver failure. “unfortunately, liver disease often happens in the background, without causing symptoms,” dr. abitbol says.
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that said, the same habits that help manage t2d — such as regular exercise and a healthy diet— can also slow or even prevent the other four conditions, by dampening inflammation; improving blood pressure and cholesterol; and decreasing insulin resistance.
you don’t need to make drastic changes overnight. “small actions can add up to big changes,” dr. trinacty emphasizes. “increasing your protein and fibre intake and increasing your step count can make a difference in your diabetes.”
other means of managing your blood sugar will also help protect your heart, liver and kidneys.
“blood glucose does damage over time, so the quicker you can get it under control with new and more effective medicines, the better,” says dr. abitbol.
“showing up for appointments and asking questions is probably the most important step that any person with diabetes can take,” says dr. abitbol. that includes visits with a variety of care providers who specialize in t2d, including dietitians, educators, pharmacists and even mental health professionals.
“the patient is the mvp, and we’re here to help guide them,” says dr. trinacty. by working together, she adds, “we can prevent complications so that people can live long, healthy lives.”
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talk to your health care provider about reducing your risks and visit www.novonordisk.ca to learn more.
this story was created by healthing content works, healthing.ca’s commercial content division, on behalf of novo nordisk canada inc.
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