High glucose levels, or hyperglycemia, are mainly caused by the body's inability to properly produce or use insulin. Key causes include conditions like insulin resistance where muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond well to insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels. Other causes involve eating too many carbohydrates or processed foods high in sugar, physical inactivity, stress, poor sleep, dehydration, hormonal changes, being overweight, certain medications, and other health conditions like Cushing's disease or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Additional factors that can cause high glucose levels include infections, genetic predispositions, and imbalances in gut microbiota. Stress and physical illnesses also raise the body's hormones such as cortisol which interfere with insulin's effectiveness, causing elevated blood sugar. Some medications including steroids, beta-blockers, and antipsychotics can also contribute to higher blood glucose.
In summary, high glucose levels result from a combination of lifestyle, dietary, genetic, medical, and environmental factors that affect insulin production, insulin sensitivity, and glucose metabolism in the body.
