Insulin resistance at a glance: Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body does not respond to the action of the hormone insulin. As a result the blood insulin level goes up. This in turn leads to high blood glucose levels and eventually type 2 diabetes and other complications. The risk factors for insulin resistance include obesity and genetics. Insulin resistance itself is a risk factor for the development of diabetes and heart diseases. Treatments for insulin resistance include diet, proper exercises and weight loss. The medications for insulin resistance include Metformin and thiazolidinediones.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body does not respond to insulin at all or respond to a very minimal level. What does this mean? The carbohydrate in the food we consume (for example bread, fruits etc) is converted into glucose. This glucose is taken up by the cells of the body to convert them into energy. The uptake of glucose by cells is aided by a hormone called insulin.Insulin is secreted by special cells called beta cells of the pancreas.
Insulin is secreted by a group of special cells, the beta cells, of the pancreas. Pancreas is part of the digestive system and its location is shown in the figure. Insulin resistance occurs when the cells become insensitive to insulin.
Insulin acts as a stabilizer of glucose level in the body by helping the cells to take up glucose. When something goes wrong, the uptake of glucose by cells is halted, and therefore, glucose accumulates. This leads to a high glucose level in the blood. Sensing danger, the body secretes more insulin hoping that more insulin will help the cells to take up glucose. Because, there is something already wrong with the cells, this doesn’t help. Overtime, this results in too much insulin in the blood.
This is technically called “hyperinsulinemia”. This type of resistance is called endogenous insulin resistance because the body becomes resistant to its own insulin. Exogenous insulin resistance is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin administered by injection, a common practice to treat diabetes.
What are the risk factors for insulin resistance?
Obesity or over-weight is the most common risk factor for insulin resistance. Especially, if the weight is around the belly (central or abdominal adiposity) it is really bad. Lack of physical activity and too much eating are the two prominent causes of obesity. Insulin resistance itself can promote obesity. So it is a vicious cycle of obesity promoting insulin resistance and insulin resistance promoting obesity. Other risk factors include genetic make-up, pregnancy and steroid use.
How does insulin resistance cause type 2 diabetes?
We know that type 2 diabetes is the result of low insulin levels. Then how does insulin resistance, which is high insulin levels, cause diabetes? The simple explanation is that the beta cells of the pancreas continue to secret insulin until they become exhausted and insulin is no longer produced. So the blood glucose level goes up further. In a nutshell, at first, insulin is less effective or ineffective to control glucose, and then there is no insulin at all to control glucose level.
What are the treatments for insulin resistance?
The treatments for insulin resistance include lifestyle management and medications. The lifestyle changes help to reduce the need for more insulin and medications help to increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
Life style changes as treatment for insulin resistance
Consumption of diets with low glycemic index combined with appropriate exercise will help to lose weight and reduce the need for excessive insulin. Diets that gradually increase blood glucose levels are called low glycemic index diets. Examples of diets with low glycemic index include fibre-rich diet such as whole grain breads and non-starchy vegetables such broccoli, green beans etc. Diets with high glycemic index increases blood glucose level rapidly. These include unrefined sugar, soft drinks, deep fried foods, fast foods etc. It is easy to say. How many broccolis and green beans can we eat in a day and for how long? It is not a practical solution. So, everything in moderation with appropriate exercise with a goal of maintaining healthy weight is the best treatment for insulin resistance.
Medications for the treatment of insulin resistance
Metformin or Glucophage is a medication that helps in the treatment of insulin resistance. Metformin has two modes of action. It prevents the liver from releasing glucose into the blood, and it also helps the cells to uptake glucose. In other words, it increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. As a result, the insulin and blood glucose levels go down. Other medications for the treatment of insulin resistance belong to a group called the thiazolidinediones. These include pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia) and troglitazone (Rezulin). But these are associated with unacceptable adverse events.
What is insulin resistance?
Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body does not respond to insulin at all or respond to a very minimal level. What does this mean? The carbohydrate in the food we consume (for example bread, fruits etc) is converted into glucose. This glucose is taken up by the cells of the body to convert them into energy. The uptake of glucose by cells is aided by a hormone called insulin.Insulin is secreted by special cells called beta cells of the pancreas.
Insulin is secreted by a group of special cells, the beta cells, of the pancreas. Pancreas is part of the digestive system and its location is shown in the figure. Insulin resistance occurs when the cells become insensitive to insulin.
Insulin acts as a stabilizer of glucose level in the body by helping the cells to take up glucose. When something goes wrong, the uptake of glucose by cells is halted, and therefore, glucose accumulates. This leads to a high glucose level in the blood. Sensing danger, the body secretes more insulin hoping that more insulin will help the cells to take up glucose. Because, there is something already wrong with the cells, this doesn’t help. Overtime, this results in too much insulin in the blood.
This is technically called “hyperinsulinemia”. This type of resistance is called endogenous insulin resistance because the body becomes resistant to its own insulin. Exogenous insulin resistance is a condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin administered by injection, a common practice to treat diabetes.
What are the risk factors for insulin resistance?
Obesity or over-weight is the most common risk factor for insulin resistance. Especially, if the weight is around the belly (central or abdominal adiposity) it is really bad. Lack of physical activity and too much eating are the two prominent causes of obesity. Insulin resistance itself can promote obesity. So it is a vicious cycle of obesity promoting insulin resistance and insulin resistance promoting obesity. Other risk factors include genetic make-up, pregnancy and steroid use.
How does insulin resistance cause type 2 diabetes?
We know that type 2 diabetes is the result of low insulin levels. Then how does insulin resistance, which is high insulin levels, cause diabetes? The simple explanation is that the beta cells of the pancreas continue to secret insulin until they become exhausted and insulin is no longer produced. So the blood glucose level goes up further. In a nutshell, at first, insulin is less effective or ineffective to control glucose, and then there is no insulin at all to control glucose level.
What are the treatments for insulin resistance?
The treatments for insulin resistance include lifestyle management and medications. The lifestyle changes help to reduce the need for more insulin and medications help to increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
Life style changes as treatment for insulin resistance
Consumption of diets with low glycemic index combined with appropriate exercise will help to lose weight and reduce the need for excessive insulin. Diets that gradually increase blood glucose levels are called low glycemic index diets. Examples of diets with low glycemic index include fibre-rich diet such as whole grain breads and non-starchy vegetables such broccoli, green beans etc. Diets with high glycemic index increases blood glucose level rapidly. These include unrefined sugar, soft drinks, deep fried foods, fast foods etc. It is easy to say. How many broccolis and green beans can we eat in a day and for how long? It is not a practical solution. So, everything in moderation with appropriate exercise with a goal of maintaining healthy weight is the best treatment for insulin resistance.
Medications for the treatment of insulin resistance
Metformin or Glucophage is a medication that helps in the treatment of insulin resistance. Metformin has two modes of action. It prevents the liver from releasing glucose into the blood, and it also helps the cells to uptake glucose. In other words, it increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. As a result, the insulin and blood glucose levels go down. Other medications for the treatment of insulin resistance belong to a group called the thiazolidinediones. These include pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia) and troglitazone (Rezulin). But these are associated with unacceptable adverse events.
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