Psoriasis and Diabetes: Is There a Connection?

Psoriasis is a chronic — and often uncomfortable — skin condition. It’s an autoimmune disease that leads to increased inflammation in your body. This inflammation causes changes in your skin and nails, but it can also affect other areas of your body like your joints (psoriatic arthritis) and eyes. Researchers are starting to understand more about these systemic effects and how psoriasis is linked to other conditions like heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels in your body are too high. It’s a common condition where your body either stops producing insulin or stops responding to it. It’s not an autoimmune disease though, so how might they be connected? 

Knowing about links like these is important because, if you’re living with one chronic condition, you and your medical team can take steps to prevent the development of others.

How are psoriasis and Type 2 diabetes linked?

Psoriasis and Type 2 diabetes are both common, chronic illnesses. Aside from that, they have little in common. So, a link between the two might not seem obvious.

But studies show that people with psoriasis have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In fact, the risk is almost a third higher in people with psoriasis, according to one study. Those with more severe psoriasis tend to have an even higher risk than those with milder cases. One study estimates that about 115,000 people worldwide will develop diabetes each year because they have psoriasis. 

Why are people with psoriasis at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes?

Experts don’t know exactly why people with psoriasis are at increased risk for Type 2 diabetes. But they think there are a few things at play:

• Inflammation: Both conditions share inflammatory pathways in your body. It’s possible that increased inflammation in psoriasis makes your body less responsive to insulin and/or causes the liver to produce more sugar (glucose).

• Genetics: Psoriasis and diabetes share overlapping genes that affect inflammatory pathways.

• Environment: Both conditions have common risk factors, such as smoking, excess weight, and alcohol intake.

It’s likely to be a complicated association, and research to better understand the links between these two conditions is ongoing. 

Psoriasis and Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas can’t make insulin. For this reason, people with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin to manage their blood sugar. They’re more likely to have other autoimmune conditions like celiac or thyroid disease, but not usually psoriasis.

That said, Type 1 diabetes and psoriasis do have some genes in common and similar inflammatory pathways. In fact, a medication for psoriasis that targets a specific inflammatory marker (IL-17) is being studied for people newly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Beyond that, the link isn’t exactly clear yet.

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Does everyone with psoriasis get diabetes?

No, not everyone who has psoriasis will get diabetes. There are many other risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, including:

• Age

• Family history

• Ethnicity

• BMI greater than 25 

• Sedentary lifestyle 

• Metabolic syndrome

Psoriasis and metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome describes a group of risk factors that increase the risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They include:

• Increased waist size (more fat around your abdomen)

• High blood pressure

• High blood sugar levels

• High triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood)

• Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as “good” cholesterol

Just as people with psoriasis are at increased risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome is more common in those with psoriasis. Research suggests a strong link between the two, meaning people with psoriasis are more likely to develop metabolic syndrome. This connection is likely even stronger in those with more severe psoriasis.

The takeaway is that a lot of these inflammatory conditions share commonalities. And even though the exact links between them aren’t fully understood yet, anyone affected can take preventive steps for their health once they know about the risks. 

If I have psoriasis, how can I prevent diabetes?

The good news is, if you have psoriasis, there are steps you can take to improve your health. 

The following steps can lower your risk of developing diabetes and other related conditions: 

• Meet with your healthcare team: Discuss the link between psoriasis, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. They can monitor your blood pressure, blood sugar (glucose), and cholesterol levels to help you stay on top of potential health issues.

• Eat nutritious foods: Focus on cutting back on sugar and saturated fat while adding fresh fruits and vegetables. This can help you manage your cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight.

• Get regular exercise: Physical activity can help prevent Type 2 diabetes and support your heart health.

• Avoid smoking and limit alcohol: Smoking and excessive alcohol use can worsen metabolic syndrome and trigger psoriasis flare-ups.

• Try to manage your stress: Increased stress may contribute to insulin resistance. Taking simple steps to reduce stress can benefit your overall health.

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Written by:

Sarah Pozniak, MD

Sarah Pozniak, MD, has 9 years of experience since graduating medical school (6 since completing residency). She is a board-certified general internal medicine physician and has practiced as a primary care physician in both Utah and Washington, D.C. Currently, she cares for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure using telemedicine as part of a virtual care program.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. A pulmonologist and hospitalist, she practiced and taught clinical medicine at hospitals in London for a decade before entering a career in health education and technology.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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