Insulin Resistance

Poor blood sugar control is the runner up to insulin resistance, insulin resistance is responsible for weight gain and it is the number one symptom for metabolic syndrome.  When diagnosed with insulin resistance and left untreated it increases the risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, nerve diseases, kidney disease and others. 

According to statistics from the Department of Health, obesity is increasing in South Africa with 70% of women and 40% of men being overweight or obese.  Of even more concern it has been reported that one in four girls and one in five boys between the ages of 2 and 14 years are overweight or obese.  They also report that 43% of deaths in South Africa from cardiovascular disease, stroke and some cancers are related to obesity. Obesity has been rated as one of the top five risk factors for early death.

Excessive sugar intake through refined sugar products, carbohydrates and high-glycemic foods will cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for chronic disease.  Sugar is found in many products for example:

• flavoured water

• low-fat yoghurt
• tomato sauce
• cereal
• peanut butter
• salad dressings
• canned vegetables
• canned soup
• health bars
• bread
• fast food

Excessive sugar intake through refined sugar products, carbohydrates and high-glycemic foods will cause you to gain weight and increase your risk for chronic disease.  Sugar is found in many products for example:

We all need to understand how the pancreas and insulin work, this gives us a greater understanding of how we can assist our metabolism to avoid weight gain and other more serious health challenges.

The pancreas, situated behind the stomach and attached to the small intestines has two functions:

1. Secretes digestive juices into the small intestine
2. Secretes hormones from specialized cells.

The three hormones that are secreted:

1. Insulin – a hormone that lowers blood sugar
2. Glucagon – a hormone that increases blood sugar
3. Somatostatin – a hormone that stops acid release to assist with proper digestion

Glucose the molecule that is absorbed into our bodies from the food we eat is responsible for making energy (in the form of ATP).  Hormones in the bodywork synergistically to balance and keep our blood sugar levels stable

Insulin decreases the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream, firstly by storing the glucose as glycogen in the liver cells, glycogen is a storage molecule of glucose.  When the glucose is removed out of the bloodstream and stored as glycogen the blood glucose levels are lowered. Secondly, insulin prevents the body from breaking fats or protein into glucose, it promotes the storage of fat and the synthesis of new proteins.  Insulin also transports some protein building blocks into the muscles, these building blocks help ensure the muscles remain lean.  Finally, insulin helps with the transport of glucose across the cell membrane of certain cells (muscle, heart and fat cells) this again helps to lower the blood glucose levels.

Insulin is considered an anabolic hormone because it promotes the storage and preserves the integrity of proteins, this means that insulin will promote weight gain (as most bodybuilders will understand)

Then an important note on Glucagon, it has the OPPOSITE effect of insulin, it is a catabolic hormone, it stimulates the conversion of glycogen (stored glucose molecules) back into glucose and increases blood sugar levels. Glucagon is responsible for the breakdown of glycogen, fats and protein.  

Now thinking in terms of balance, insulin and glucagon are regulated by a feedback system, once a hormone has done its function it is switched off, for example, when sugar levels drop low insulin levels also drop and glucagon increases to increase glucose into the bloodstream.  When sugar levels are high (hyperglycemia – sugary foods cause this), insulin is then secreted to lower the blood sugar levels and glucagon is low at this time.

Many factors contribute to insulin resistance. One is believed to be increased levels of fat in your blood. Numerous studies show that high amounts of free fatty acids in your blood cause cells to stop responding properly to insulin.

The main cause of elevated free fatty acids is eating too many calories and carrying excess body fat. Overeating, weight gain, and obesity are all strongly associated with insulin resistance. Visceral fat, the dangerous belly fat that accumulates around your organs, may release many free fatty acids into your blood, as well as inflammatory hormones that drive insulin resistance.

Although this condition is more common among those with excess weight, people with low or normal weight are also susceptible.

Other potential causes of insulin resistance include:           

• Fructose. High fructose intake (from added sugar, not fruit) has been linked to insulin resistance in both rats and humans.
• Inflammation. Increased oxidative stress and inflammation in your body may lead to this condition.
• Inactivity. Physical activity increases insulin sensitivity, while inactivity causes insulin resistance.
• Gut microbiota. Evidence suggests that a disruption in the bacterial environment in your gut can cause inflammation that exacerbates insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.

What’s more, various genetic and social factors may be contributors. Black, Hispanic, and Asian peoples are at particularly high risk.

• extreme thirst or hunger
• feeling hungry even after a meal
• increased or frequent urination
• tingling sensations in hands or feet
• feeling more tired than usual
• frequent infections
• evidence in blood work