Acta diabetologica

The dawn phenomenon in diabetes: how body and brain processes and daily rhythms may explain it and guide treatment

Updated

Abstract

A substantial percentage of individuals experience the Dawn Phenomenon (DP), characterized by early-morning hyperglycemia without prior hypoglycemia.

  • Patients with DP exhibit increased average blood glucose variability over a 24-hour period compared to those without DP.
  • The condition poses significant challenges for managing diabetes through medication and diet.
  • DP is associated with physiological increases in hormones like cortisol, catecholamines, and growth hormone during early morning hours.
  • These hormones may elevate liver glucose production while reducing the body's sensitivity to insulin.
  • Current therapeutic approaches mainly focus on alleviating symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes of DP.

Simplified

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

Funding

Competing interests

0 of 7
authors report competing interests
7 report none
PubMed

What Lands in Your Inbox Each Week:

  • 📚7 fresh studies
  • 📝plain-language summaries
  • direct links to original studies
  • 🏅top journal indicators
  • 📅weekly delivery
  • 🧘‍♂️always free