Insulin and Insulin Resistance
Insulin is an important hormone that regulates several processes in your body. Problems with this hormone are at the heart of many health conditions. Insulin resistance, a condition in which your cells stop responding properly to insulin, is incredibly common. In fact, the prevalence of insulin resistance is 15.5–46.5% among adults worldwide. However, certain dietary and lifestyle habits can dramatically improve or help prevent this condition.
Insulin basics
Insulin is a hormone that your pancreas secretes. It regulates the amounts of nutrients circulating in your bloodstream. Although insulin is mostly involved in blood sugar regulation, it also affects fat and protein metabolism. When you eat a meal that contains carbs, the amount of sugar in your bloodstream increases. The cells in your pancreas sense this increase and release insulin into your blood. Insulin then travels around your bloodstream, telling your cells to pick up sugar from your blood.
This process helps regulate blood sugar levels and prevent high blood sugar, which can have harmful effects if left untreated. However, cells sometimes stop responding to insulin correctly. This is called insulin resistance. When you have this condition, your pancreas produces even more insulin to lower your blood sugar levels. This leads to high insulin levels in your blood, known as hyperinsulinemia.
Over time, your cells may become increasingly resistant to insulin, resulting in a rise in both insulin and blood sugar levels. Eventually, your pancreas may become damaged, and this can lead to decreased insulin production. If your blood sugar levels exceed a certain threshold, you may receive a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance is the main cause of this common condition, which affects more than 9% of adults worldwide.
Resistance vs. sensitivity
Insulin resistance and insulin sensitivity are related. If you have insulin resistance, you have low insulin sensitivity. Conversely, if you are sensitive to insulin, you have low insulin resistance. While insulin resistance is harmful to your health, increased insulin sensitivity is beneficial.
What causes insulin resistance?
Many factors contribute to insulin resistance. One possible cause is increased levels of fat in your blood, which can cause cells to stop responding properly to insulin. This happens when we are consumption of too many calories and the presence of excess body fat. In fact, overeating, weight gain, and obesity are all strongly associated with insulin resistance.
Visceral fat, the harmful belly fat that can accumulate around your organs, may release fat into your blood, as well as inflammatory hormones that drive insulin resistance. Although insulin resistance is more common among people with overweight or obesity, anyone can develop it.
Other potential causes of insulin resistance include:
Excessive fructose consumption: High intake of fructose — from added sugars, not from fruit — has been linked to insulin resistance.
Chronic inflammation: Increased oxidative stress and inflammation in your body may lead to this condition.
Inactivity: Physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, while inactivity may contribute to insulin resistance.
Problems with gut microbiota: Evidence suggests that a disruption in the bacterial environment in your gut can cause inflammation, which may worsen insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.
Related conditions
Insulin resistance is a hallmark of two very common conditions: metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions. It’s sometimes called insulin resistance syndrome, as it’s closely linked to insulin resistance.
Its symptoms include high blood triglycerides, high blood pressure, excess belly fat, high blood sugar, and low HDL (good) cholesterol levels. You may be able to prevent metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by stopping the development of insulin resistance.
Relationship to heart health
Insulin resistance is strongly associated with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death around the globe. Many other conditions, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer, may be linked to insulin resistance as well. Additionally, insulin resistance has been linked to an increased risk of developing mental health issues such as depression.
Other ways to reduce insulin resistance
It is often possible to completely reverse insulin resistance by making the following lifestyle changes:
Exercising: Physical activity may be the single easiest way to improve insulin sensitivity. Its effects are almost immediate.
Losing belly fat: It’s key to target the fat that accumulates around your main organs via exercise and other methods.
Trying to quit smoking, if you do: Tobacco smoking can cause insulin resistance, and quitting should help.
Reducing sugar intake: Try to reduce your intake of added sugars, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages.
Eating a nutritious diet: Eat a diet that consists mostly of whole, unprocessed foods and includes plenty of nuts and fatty fish.
Consuming omega-3 fatty acids: These healthy fats may reduce insulin resistance. Examples are fish and other seafood (especially cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines) also nuts and seeds (such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts).
Getting better sleep: Some evidence suggests that poor sleep causes insulin resistance, so improving sleep quality should help.
Finding ways to manage stress: Research suggests that chronic stress may contribute to the development of insulin resistance. Therefore, stress reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation may be beneficial.
Trying intermittent fasting: Following this eating pattern may improve insulin sensitivity. If you’re interested in trying it, be sure to ask your GP first to make sure it’s a safe option for you, especially if you’re currently on medication.
Most of the habits on this list also happen to be associated with better overall health, a longer life, and protection against chronic disease. Still, it’s best to consult you GP about your options, because various medical treatments can be effective as well.
Low carb diets
Low carb diets may be beneficial for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes — and this is partially helped by reduced insulin resistance or improved insulin sensitivity. However, its very important to acknowledge that not all carbs are bad. Complex carbohydrates are a wonderful source of energy and nourishment.
With that in mind, it’s the consumption of foods high in ultra-processed - easily digestible - simple carbohydrates as well as low in fat that may in fact worsen insulin resistance. Ditching foods high in such carbs with added sugar, including baked goods, grains, and sweets may support weight loss, which could help increase insulin sensitivity.
To recap, insulin resistance may be one of the key drivers of many chronic conditions, including type 2 diabetes. You can improve this condition through lifestyle measures such as eating a balanced diet, staying active, and making an effort to maintain a moderate body weight. Preventing insulin resistance may be among the most effective ways to live a longer, healthier life.
Extracts taken from Kris Gunnars from https://www.healthline.com