What is insulin resistance? What are the signs and causes of this?
INSULIN RESISTANCE – Impaired insulin sensitivity or insulin resistance is a complex condition and here are some things to know like the signs and causes.
American Diabetes Association defines insulin resistance as “tolerance to insulin, making the hormone less effective” which results in “more insulin needed to persuade fat and muscle cells to take up glucose and the liver to continue to store it.”
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. This hormone helps glucose in the blood enter cells in muscle, fat, and liver, organs where it is used for energy.
Now, who can likely develop this complex condition?
People with these factors are at risk:
- overweight or obesity
- age 45 or older
- a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
- physical inactivity
- health conditions such as high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels
- a history of gestational diabetes
- a history of heart disease or stroke
- polycystic ovary syndrome, also called PCOS
High triglycerides (a kind of blood fat), high LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and low HDL (“good”) cholesterol are also signs that might tell if you have this condition and are at risk of having it.
Here are some signs based on a post from WebMD:
- waistline over 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women
- 130/80 or higher blood pressure level
- fasting glucose level over 100 mg/dL
- fasting triglyceride level over 150 mg/dL
- HDL cholesterol level under 40 mg/dL in men and 50 mg/dL in women
- skin tags
- acanthosis nigricans
There are no specific causes determined yet for this condition but as stated above, several factors and conditions can. Moreover, excess body fat and a sedentary lifestyle are two major factors that lead to this complex condition.
What can you do?
The best thing to do is change your lifestyle to a healthier one. Be physically active and lose excess weight.
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