Blood Sugar and Lyme Disease

Blood Sugar and Lyme Disease

It is well known in the clinical community that diabetes increases susceptibility to infection.4,5 Does diabetes and high blood sugar also affect the ability to fight Lyme disease?

 

What Is Lyme Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through tick bites.1,2 It is caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Its symptoms vary based on the stage of Lyme disease, most typically starting with a red skin rash with a characteristic bull’s eye appearance (ie, erythema migrans). Other symptoms include inflammation of the heart, arthritis, and central nervous system disease.

 

Does High Blood Sugar Impair Ability to Fight Lyme Disease?

There is a lack of human study on how hyperglycemia (ie, high blood sugar) might affect immune response to Borrelia burgdorferi, the pathogen that causes Lyme disease. However, one mice study that investigated this question found that hyperglycemia can impair neutrophil (ie, a type of white cell) response to B. burgdorferi.3 It specifically resulted in low levels of neutrophil in the blood, negatively affecting the clearance of the bacterial DNA in mice organs.

Other human studies have demonstrated that diabetes-associated hyperglycemia can negatively affect the immune system and increase rates of infection in this population.4,5 Hyperglycemia provides a favorable environment for infectious microorganisms while reducing the responses and functions of immune cells.6,7 Impairment of immune cells like neutrophils and T lymphocytes are commonly observed, along with decreases in antioxidant system and antibody-mediated immunity. However, future human studies on this topic should be conducted to draw meaningful conclusions on how hyperglycemia might affect the body’s ability to fight Lyme disease.

 

References:
1. Murray TS, Shapiro ED. Lyme Disease. Clin Lab Med. 2010;30(1):311. doi:10.1016/j.cll.2010.01.003
2. Skar GL, Blum MA, Simonsen KA. Lyme Disease. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. Accessed October 30, 2024. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431066/
3. Javid A, Zlotnikov N, Pětrošová H, et al. Hyperglycemia Impairs Neutrophil-Mediated Bacterial Clearance in Mice Infected with the Lyme Disease Pathogen. PLoS One. 2016;11(6):e0158019. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158019
4. Carey IM, Critchley JA, DeWilde S, Harris T, Hosking FJ, Cook DG. Risk of Infection in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Compared With the General Population: A Matched Cohort Study. Diabetes Care. 2018;41(3):513-521. doi:10.2337/dc17-2131
5. Unnikrishnan R, Misra A. Infections and Diabetes: Risks and Mitigation with Reference to India. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020;14(6):1889-1894. doi:10.1016/j.dsx.2020.09.022
6. Casqueiro J, Casqueiro J, Alves C. Infections in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of Pathogenesis. Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2012;16(Suppl1):S27-S36. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.94253
7. Berbudi A, Rahmadika N, Tjahjadi AI, Ruslami R. Type 2 Diabetes and Its Impact on the Immune System. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2020;16(5):442-449. doi:10.2174/1573399815666191024085838

  

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The content of this article is intended to provide a general information and knowledge on the subject matter. The views expressed in newsletters, articles, and blogs in the i-SENS USA website are not necessarily those of i-SENS Incorporated, i-SENS USA Incorporated or our publishers. Medical or nutritional information on i-SENS USA website is not intended to replace professional medical advice – you should always consult a specialist with any questions about your specific circumstances.

 

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