Insulin is a powerful hormone and plays a key role in many functions within the body. Problems with this hormone however are linked to many common illnesses so it pays to have a deeper understanding around what we can do to manage the risks.

Insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance are basically two sides of the same coin. If you are insulin sensitive you have a low resistance to insulin, however if you are insulin resistant you have a low sensitivity to insulin. Typically speaking it’s beneficial to be insulin sensitive and being insulin resistant can lead to a host of health problems.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. Its primary role is to regulate the nutrients in the bloodstream. Typically after the consumption of food, the amount of blood sugar in the bloodstream increases. Sensing this, the pancreas releases insulin which instructs the cells to absorb the sugar in the blood and reduces the levels. In an individual that has a high sensitivity to insulin, this process will occur quickly and the cells will efficiently absorb and lower the blood sugar levels without incident. If the adverse is true and the individual is insulin resistant, the cells won’t respond as well to the release of insulin and won’t efficiently lower the amount of sugar circulating in the blood. High blood sugar levels for prolonged periods of time can have extremely toxic effects therefore in this scenario the pancreas will produce more and more insulin. Over time the pancreas may become damaged leading to an inability to produce the required amount of insulin. This is ultimately what can lead to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, while insulin is present for extended periods it becomes incredibly difficult to metabolise fat. This can become a vicious cycle as higher levels of body fat can contribute to insulin resistance. 

Many factors can contribute to insulin resistance. Chief among them appears to be a higher level of fat in the bloodstream. This can be caused by having a high level of body fat. Over consumption, obesity, and higher levels of visceral fat around the organs are all key contributors to a higher level of fatty acids entering the blood and in turn causing an individual to become increasingly more resistant to insulin. Being overweight however is not the only concern when it comes to developing resistance or type 2 diabetes as diets high in added sugar also show to be responsible for increasing insulin resistance.

Physical activity aids in increasing insulin sensitivity therefore inactivity or a general lack of movement is also strongly linked to many cases of insulin resistance and ultimately type 2 diabetes.

Having a high resistance to insulin is often the hallmark for many other illnesses’ that carry a serious risk to an individual’s health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and insulin resistance is a major contributor. The same can said for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer. Thankfully it is fairly easy to reduce insulin resistance and in many cases reverse it altogether by incorporating some simple lifestyle changes. These include;

·       Exercise. Physical activity may be the single easiest way to improve insulin sensitivity. Its effects are almost         immediate

·       Lose excess body fat. Best achieved through a combination of healthy eating habits and exercise

·       Stop smoking. Tobacco smoking can cause insulin resistance

·       Reduce sugar intake. Reduce your intake of added sugars

·       Sleep. Some evidence suggests that poor sleep causes insulin resistance, so improving sleep quality should help

·       Maintain a balanced diet comprised mainly of whole, unprocessed foods 

Beyond reducing insulin resistance and in turn improving sensitivity many of the habits above also happen to be associated with good health, a long life, and protection against many diseases.