What Is Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance, the incidence which is increased due to processed foods, carbohydrate-heavy diet, and lack of activity; invites many serious diseases such as cancer, obesity, blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, fatty liver, it is among the important health issues behind the reason not to lose weight. Paying attention to some important points and a few small changes in lifestyle may be enough to balance insulin resistance.
Besides causing fatty liver by affecting the vital organs such as the heart and brain-heart attack invites diseases such as paralysis. After a while, the pancreas gets tired of producing insulin and becomes lazy and the blood sugar level starts to rise. Accordingly, it first manifests itself as low blood sugar, and then as diabetes mellitus after being hungry quickly.
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Obesity, menstrual irregularity, infertility, difficulty in losing weight, gout, high blood pressure, fibrocystic breast disease, infertility, cyst in the ovaries, heart attack, stroke, cholesterol, high triglyceride levels, breast cancer, lung, pancreas, prostate. It prepares the ground for many serious diseases such as liver and colon cancer.
Insulin is a hormone secreted from the pancreas that regulates sugar metabolism. While making this regulation, insulin binds to a structure called the "insulin receptor" and becomes activated. If this receptor does not allow insulin to bind for various reasons; Insulin gives the impression that it is not working even though it is an insufficient amount in the blood.
Insulin resistance can be defined as the difficulty in showing the effect of insulin secreted to control sugar in the body. Under normal conditions, the body can control sugar with 1 unit of insulin, while in patients with insulin resistance, the body has to secrete 2-3 units of insulin. As insulin resistance increases, insulin also increases to provide sugar control. This means that the body secretes more insulin than necessary.
The increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes all over the world and in our country brings along the metabolic problem called “insulin resistance”. An increase in body fat causes insulin resistance, and insulin resistance causes an increase in body fat, that is, obesity. In order to treat insulin resistance, which affects many systems such as protein metabolism, reproduction, and immunity, nutrition and exercise habits should be reviewed first.
Since insulin resistance causes insulin to be stored in the body, it can cause weight gain, fatty liver, and cardiovascular diseases. Those with insulin resistance problems have difficulty in losing weight even if they do sports and eat a balanced diet. Because insulin secreted in excess causes the food taken to be stored as fat. Insulin, which has to be secreted more and more, tires the pancreas over time. Insulin resistance can be a serious picture that can progress to pancreatic failure and diabetes over time.
What Are The Symptoms Of Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is the inability of insulin to exert its biological effects on glucose, fat, and protein metabolism, even though it is in circulation. The metabolic deterioration, which occurs with the decrease of insulin-mediated glucose use in the tissues and the increase in glucose production in the liver, forms the basis of insulin resistance.
Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high lipids accompany polycystic ovary syndrome. In the evaluation of the metabolic status associated with insulin resistance, fasting and postprandial blood glucose and HbA1c values should be measured. If necessary, a sugar loading test (oral glucose tolerance test) can be done.
Insulin resistance is more common in the relatives of people with insulin resistance or types 2 diabetes due to the effect of genetic factors. In addition, factors such as sedentary life and a high-calorie diet also lead to the development of insulin resistance. Muscle, adipose tissue, and liver are the affected tissues.
It is possible to list the symptoms of insulin resistance as follows:
- After a heavy meal, after eating sugary food, feeling of heaviness more than necessary, drowsiness;
- Hand tremor, sweating, as the sugar begins to drop uncontrollably after a meal,
- Stomach scraping complaints;
- Uncontrollable weight gain
- Frequent cravings for sweets
- feeling tired
- Gradual enlargement of the waist circumference
- Browning, especially in the armpits, groin, and neck areas called 'Acanthosis Nigricans'
- fatty liver
- menstrual irregularities in women
As soon as you notice the signs of insulin resistance, an endocrinology or internal medicine specialist should be consulted.
What Are The Causes Of Insulin Resistance
How Is Insulin Resistance Treated
The primary step in the treatment of insulin resistance is lifestyle changes. It is important that medical nutrition therapy, increasing exercise and movement, ensuring sleep patterns, and being sustainable. Medical nutrition therapy is used to treat insulin resistance; it is decided on an individual basis based on age, gender, physical activity, and lifestyle.
An insulin resistance diet should include all nutrients in an adequate and balanced way.
Short-term shock programs should not be implemented.
It should be aimed to reduce approximately 5-10% of body weight in 6 months. The individual's current daily calorie intake should be calculated and reduced by 400-600 kcal on average.
A weekly weight loss of 0.5-1kg should be targeted.
A sustainable, applicable, and delicious program should be prepared.
Insulin resistance diet should consist of 4-6 meals. Frequent feeding prevents overeating at the next meal.
Daily protein intake should constitute 20-35% of total calories. Adequate intake of protein is important for the feeling of satiety and maintaining lean body mass.
25-35% of daily calories should be taken from fats.
Since the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) may be adversely affected, the fat ratio should not be reduced too much.
50-65% of daily calories should be taken from carbohydrates.
Instead of simple carbohydrates (such as sugar), complex carbohydrates (whole-grain products, legumes) should be preferred.
Treatment with certain medications may be recommended for patients who cannot implement lifestyle changes or do not benefit. Appetite and slight weight loss effect.
Metformin reduces the risk of developing diabetes by 30%, especially in patients with an HbA1c of 5.7-6.4%, fasting and/or postprandial blood sugar above the normal limit, a history of gestational diabetes, and a body mass index greater than 35.
In the treatment of insulin resistance, first of all, a blood test is performed to measure the resistance level. In people with high resistance, the level can be returned to normal with 2-3 months or at most 6 months of treatments.
When the insulin resistance level returns to normal, the obstacles to weight loss are removed. Therefore, patients lose their appetite quickly and lose weight. Furthermore, heart disease, cancer susceptibility, and diabetes are avoided.
Drugs also play an important role in the treatment of insulin resistance. When necessary drugs are used together with a healthy diet and exercise program, the person starts to lose weight.
Drugs that prevent insulin resistance are also drugs used in the treatment of diabetes, and drug therapy is terminated after insulin resistance is brought under control within 2-3 months and its level is brought back to normal.
Thus, weight gain, excess fat, vascular lubrication, atherosclerosis, ie atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease risks, liver lubrication risk, and the progression towards diabetes, especially in people at risk, are completely prevented.
Especially in patients at risk of diabetes, insulin resistance is detected and the right treatment is applied, and the disease is prevented before it even starts. Therefore, when insulin resistance is treated on time, It is possible to eliminate the risk of diabetes.
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FAQ about Insulin Resistance
How is the insulin resistance calculation method?
Insulin resistance causes many important diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is accompanied by very serious problems such as insulin resistance, high blood insulin, obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and occlusion in coronary vessels.
At the same time, insulin resistance can cause health problems such as polycystic ovary syndrome in young women. The relationship between insulin resistance and weight is defined as a vicious circle. “Adiposity and weight gain = Insulin resistance = Fatigue”.
An easy way to get rid of this vicious circle is to measure insulin resistance in a fully equipped hospital and to take it under control by experts.
In our country, a study was conducted under the name of "Metsar" on metabolic syndrome caused by insulin resistance. As a result of the research conducted on a group of more than 4 thousand people, it was determined that the rate of metabolic syndrome in our country was 33%. As a result of this study, the most important thing is that many of those with metabolic syndrome are not aware of their disease.
Some of the interesting data in this study are as follows;
- Society uses cigarettes at a rate of 31.3%.
- Up to 27.6% of people over the age of 20 in society have high sugar levels, but unfortunately, these people are not aware of it. These people are at risk of diabetes and need to be treated for insulin resistance.
- About 54.8% of Turkish women are obese and therefore at risk for heart attack and diabetes.
These results show how important and progressive insulin resistance is. In our country, insulin resistance and accordingly; obesity, diabetes, and heart attacks will increase day by day. Our duty is to have our checks done before it's too late and take precautions beforehand.
A person can also understand whether there is insulin resistance by questioning his daily routine. Accordingly, the questions that an individual should ask themselves are:
- So-called junk food; Do I consume snacks, chips, popcorn?
- Does my blood pressure go above 140-90?
- Do I have a problem losing weight despite regular sports or exercise?
- Is my waist too thick? (Is there fat accumulation around the waist?)
- In my family; Do you have diabetes or heart disease, high blood pressure, polycystic ovary disease, and an obese individual?
- Having trouble concentrating, imbalance and headaches after meals?
- Do I have high cholesterol?
- Do I need sugar and pastries all of a sudden?
- Do I feel tired and sleepy after every meal?
- Has a high fasting blood sugar been detected?
- Am I exercising less than 2 times a week?
According to the number of YES answers given to the above questions, an assessment is made about the risk of insulin resistance in the person.
How should insulin resistance drugs be taken?
Another approach in the treatment of insulin resistance is to encourage insulin excess not only by exogenous insulin administration but also by some drugs used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore, treatment should be considered in its entirety.
Insulin resistance treatment, correct and adequate nutrition plan should be harmonized with the daily life of the person. Otherwise, it may cause the treatment to go completely uncontrolled. Refined carbohydrates should be restricted in meals as much as possible, and adequate calorie intake should be ensured by targeting weight control.
The way of feeding and the preparation of food is also very important. Meals should be eaten slowly, very chewed, without aiming for satiety. Many people search the internet for an insulin resistance diet list. For this list, you should first consult an internal medicine or endocrinology specialist; It will be the best behavior to get help from a nutrition and diet specialist with their guidance.
The timing of exercise and nutrition and drug therapy is very important in the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes. It is not right to expect every patient to behave like an athlete and to force him in this regard.
An adequate level of exercise should be encouraged to do in the most appropriate period. After the complications have been evaluated, exercise planning should be done. In the first 30-60 minutes after meals, the habit of sitting and drinking tea should be abandoned. During these periods, it is more correct to do movements such as 10-15 minute walks or table gatherings.
What should be the waist circumference to avoid insulin resistance?
The waist circumference of patients with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome is important.
In individuals whose waist circumference is over 80 cm in women and 94 cm in men;
- Fasting blood sugar higher than 100mg/dl
- Use of antihypertensive medication with blood pressure above 130-85mmHg or with a diagnosis of hypertension
- If at least two of the criteria are present, such as triglyceride level above 150mg/dl or HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) lower than 50mg/dl in women and 40mg/dl in men, the evaluation is made by accepting the presence of insulin resistance.
How to feed in insulin resistance?
First of all, carbohydrate consumption should be limited against the decrease in blood sugar caused by high insulin. If carbohydrates are to be taken, maximum care should be taken to ensure that they are accompanied by a protein source. E.g; If rice is to be eaten, yogurt should be added to the menu immediately or rice and meat should be consumed together.
If a slice of bread is to be eaten, cheese can be consumed with it. It is also useful to be careful with the salt here. Unsalted cheese types should be preferred as much as possible. In addition, it is beneficial to drink plenty of water. Water is very important in maintaining balance because the body uses to water the most during energy production.
Prolonged fasting is never recommended because it is very difficult to measure up when eating after a long period of fasting. In addition, the most stimulating and accelerating metabolism is eating. For this reason, meals should not be skipped and attention should be paid to snacks. If the snack is insufficient, it can create a second snack. While arranging snacks, small stimuli should be supported and metabolism should be accelerated.
Quality carbohydrates can be included in the menu. Otherwise, the vicious circle will continue. For example, fruit yogurt containing both carbohydrates and protein can be consumed. A thin slice of cake can be eaten with 1 glass of milk, or cheese can be preferred with watermelon, paying attention to its salt. Fruit can also be preferred for snacks. Fruit contains fructose and its metabolism is slightly different than glucose.
For this reason, very intense fruit consumption is not recommended at once. It is also not right not to eat any fruit. One large orange, 2-3 tangerines, or a banana can be consumed as a snack. If there is a diabetic problem or insulin resistance, a bowl of yogurt or a little milk can be added to balance the sugar of the fruit. Sometimes 8-10 nuts such as almonds or walnuts are also recommended next to the fruit. Here, too, absorption is supported by fat intake. In this way, the glucose-raising effect of the fruit is avoided.
Does insulin resistance make you sleepy?
People with insulin resistance often complain that they feel extremely tired, sluggish, and sleepy after eating. E.g; They may say, "I only ate two slices of pizza, I don't remember what happened next." The situation here can be explained as follows; When a person whose insulin is already high eats pizza, insulin is secreted with the entry of carbohydrates into the body, and this secretion increases as the carbohydrates are consumed.
This secretion rate varies from person to person; In some, a unit is secreted, while in another, this rate may increase to five or ten or even more. To prevent this, it is necessary to prevent insulin secretion, that is, to reduce high carbohydrate intake.
These people feel severe hunger a few hours after the meal and want to eat sugar and sugary foods in particular. Since insulin is a storage molecule, with its rise in the blood, fat tissue storage in the body also increases. Thickening is common, especially around the waist and abdomen of these people. Thus, the vicious cycle between weight gain and insulin resistance begins.
What changes occur in the body when insulin resistance is balanced?
The changes that occur in the body when insulin resistance is balanced are listed as follows:
- The problem of hypoglycemia disappears.
- Sweet cravings, hunger pangs disappear.
- Sleepiness, irritability, anger, senseless, excessive and sudden reactions, sleep interruptions, palpitations, and sweating are a thing of the past.
- Losing weight is getting easier. Lost weight cannot be regained.
- Blood sugar spikes are over. Diabetes can be prevented.
- Blood fats are balanced.
- Triglyceride returns to normal.
- Good cholesterol HDL rises. Total cholesterol goes down.
- Balancing blood pressure becomes easier.
- Liver fat disappears.
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