Although the occasional mild craving for salt is normal, an extreme craving for salt can be a sign of an underlying problem regarding hormone levels. Although diabetes does not directly cause salt craving, some forms of diabetes increase your risk of developing other conditions, such as Addison's disease, that can cause salt craving.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition marked by abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. Blood glucose levels rise in diabetics due to problems with the hormone insulin. With Type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, resulting in a lack of insulin. With Type 2 diabetes, your body becomes less responsive to insulin, causing high insulin levels but a poor response to this hormone.
Salt Craving
An intense craving for salt is a characteristic symptom of adrenal problems such as Addison's disease. Addison's disease is caused by your adrenal glands no longer making certain hormones, such as aldosterone, that regulate the amount of sodium and potassium in your body. Different things can cause your adrenal glands to not work properly, including some medications and immune disorders that cause your immune system to attack your adrenal glands.
Diabetes and Addison's
There is no direct link between diabetes and a craving for salt due to Addison's disease because the high blood sugar seen in diabetes does not usually affect the adrenal glands. However, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and is, along with certain other autoimmune diseases, a risk factor for the autoimmune type of Addison's, according to PubMed Health.
Considerations
Addison's disease can be life-threatening because of the severe electrolyte imbalances that it can cause. If you are concerned about the health of your adrenal glands, talk to your doctor, especially if you have underlying diseases such as diabetes.
